'Torbay's tourist sector needs compensation' warns MP

South West Water is holding a drop-in event later for the 2,500 properties around Brixham still being told to boil their water.

Bosses say it's a chance to update those affected on the help and support being offered after the cryptosporidium outbreak.

The outbreak was confirmed last Tuesday - although not initially the source - and today Torbay MP Kevin Foster is demanding compensation for the wider tourist industry

He said: "Especially at a sensitive time of year when people will be looking forward to booking holidays here in our bay. I want to see South West Water offer a package of compensation not just to businesses affected but also to the bay more widely."

Rob Wood runs the Broadsands Beach Water Sports Centre - near to where a makeshift bottled water station has been set up - and says help is needed as they and other firms saw customer numbers plummet last week.

He worries: "Who knows what the knock-on effect will be? What if people have gone elsewhere to Newquay, Bude or other seaside towns - they may never come back."

Two people have been taken to hospital following the parasite outbreak in Devon, according to Environment Secretary Steve Barclay yesterday in the Commons.

There are currently 46 confirmed cases of cryptosporidium, a waterborne disease which can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Mr Barclay told MPs the number of cases in the Brixham area could continue to rise due to symptoms taking up to 10 days to emerge.

Conservative MP Anthony Mangnall, whose Totnes constituency includes Brixham, said the 46 confirmed cases is an "underestimation."

It comes as a major report out today, backed by England's chief medical officer, calls for the UK sewage system to be upgraded with Professor Chris Whitty saying: "Public waterways are a great resource enjoyed by many children and adults and can have a significant positive impact on our health.

"Minimising human faecal organisms in fresh water is a public health priority as well as an environmental one. Whilst there will always be challenges with the efficient management of sewers and sewage treatment works, this report provides clear technical options for how this can realistically be achieved."

Barbara Evans, Professor of Public Health Engineering at the University of Leeds, added: "Investments in sanitation require national vision and leadership; 150 years ago, the UK committed to eliminating cholera and made the necessary huge investments in our wastewater system; we have reaped the benefit of that vision for our whole lives, and we probably haven't been sufficiently aware of it.

"That investment is reaching the end of its life, and we owe it to our children and our grandchildren to make a new commitment and create a vision of a new wastewater system fit for the future."

The report - by the National Engineering Policy Centre - found 'wastewater treatment must be improved to reduce exposure to human faecal pathogens in treated effluent'.

Led by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the report's findings are based on risk-based assessments and consultations with more than 100 engineers, wastewater experts, the water industry, campaign organisations and policymakers.

This is the first time a comprehensive report has been undertaken to assess actions to mitigate public health risks associated with the use of public waters, contaminated by faecal matter from human waste.

It found that despite wastewater treatment works reducing the concentration of human faecal organisms, the continuous discharge of treated effluent into rivers, seas and lakes remains a source of high levels of these organisms.

The report notes the rise in recreational activities in coastal and inland open waters across the UK, leading to greater public exposure to pollutants. Increased public awareness and data availability on water quality have spurred renewed scrutiny over UK water standards and necessitated a revaluation of the public acceptability of the risk.

The report acknowledges that there is a lack of evidence to demonstrate a direct, causal link between specific wastewater discharges and specific health incidents but emphasises the known public health risk from exposure to high concentrations of faecal organisms. It focuses on the role of wastewater infrastructure in introducing primarily human faecal organisms into open water through storm overflows and treated effluent discharge. However, it does not look at agricultural runoff from livestock, wild animals, or septic tanks.

David Harris, incident director at South West Water, said: "Our teams on the ground continue to work as quickly as we can to resolve the situation in the Hillhead supply area, where we are still advising around 2,500 properties to boil their drinking water before consuming.

"We are urgently investigating the damaged air valve on private land which we believe to be the probable cause, and following the draining and cleaning of Hillhead reservoir we have now refilled the largest of the two tanks within the reservoir and we have isolated the second tank.

"We are working 24 hours a day, and early this morning we commenced flushing of the wider Hillhead network as we work to eliminate any traces of cryptosporidium.

"We will not lift the boil water notice in Hillhead until we and our public health partners are completely satisfied it is safe to do so."

South West Water said an additional £100 compensation will be paid to customers in the areas which continue to be affected, bringing the total to £215

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