South West Water fined £1.85m over parasite outbreak in Devon
Summary
South West Water was fined £1.85 million for providing water that caused a parasite outbreak in Devon, making hundreds of people sick. The outbreak was linked to faults in the company's management of water safety equipment on farmland and resulted in significant health and social impacts.Key Facts
- South West Water admitted to supplying unsafe drinking water that caused a cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Brixham, Devon during spring and summer 2024.
- The company was fined £1.85 million, the largest penalty for a drinking water offense in the UK.
- The parasite outbreak made 537 people ill, with 159 needing health care and 10 hospitalized.
- Water contamination was caused by a broken air valve on farmland and illegal cross connections mixing clean and unsafe water.
- South West Water had a policy to inspect air valves but did not implement it, and no inspections occurred on the high-risk farm site.
- The outbreak forced thousands of households to boil their water and undermined public trust in local tap water.
- Schools suffered from absenteeism and lower exam results, particularly affecting disadvantaged students.
- The company apologized and showed remorse, admitting to failings in following safety recommendations.
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