'We need a promotion package' say businesses hit by falling trade during Cryptosporidium outbreak
South West Water said no one was available to answer questions as it finally lifted the boil notice yesterday
Last updated 9th Jul 2024
Business in and around Brixham say South West Water should offer more marketing help to promote the area to tourists and visitors - now the boil water notice has finally been lifted.
The parasite cryptosporidium - which causes sickness and diarrhoea - has finally been removed from South Devon after eight and a half weeks.
It means thousands of properties no longer have to boil tap water before using it, with close to 17,000 originally affected at the start.
Business say footfall has declined in the town over the past two months, even in areas which weren't affected by the boil notice - with the boil notice remaining the number one topic of conversation over and above the election and Euros.
John Ingram runs the Bay Coffee Company on the quayside and said: "It literally couldn't have come at a worse time.
"It was towards the beginning of June - the start of the season when lots of people are looking at where to come on holiday or for great weekend breaks and things.
"It's been awful for us really but hopefully now South West Water will put a package together for positive marketing for us so we can all start looking forward to greater things."
The company has apologised for the disruption the boil notice has caused but has not given interviews about the situation since lifting the boil notice.
About 17,000 households and businesses, supplied by South West Water, were issued with a boil water notice on May 15 as scores of reported cases of illness emerged in the town.
Most were able to safely use their tap water again within a few days, but 2,500 homes in Brixham continued to be warned to boil it as the water company sought to flush the parasite out of the system.
The boil water notice was lifted in phases, and finally removed for the remaining customers affected on Monday, 54 days after it was first imposed.
The microscopic parasite which caused the waterborne disease likely entered the water network through a damaged air pipe in a field containing cattle, the company has said.
In a statement as it lifted the last remaining boil water notice, SWW said: "Following eight weeks of intensive interventions, enhanced sampling and monitoring together with working alongside public health partners - the full network in the Brixham area has now returned to normal and all customers, business and visitors can drink their tap water, safely.
"Nothing has mattered more to us than the health and safety of our customers and we are pleased we can now reassure you that your water supply meets the high standards you rightly expect."
As the contamination crisis rolled on, the water company's owner Pennon revealed its chief executive's pay package had jumped 58% in 2023-24, even as pollution incidents at the water utility soared by 80% to 194 last year.