Millions to be paid out to victims of cow manure parasite in water supply
South West Water, the owner of the water supply in Devon, will be compensating victims of a parasite outbreak caused by cow manure leaking into the system. The company will distribute £3,500,000 to those affected by the diarrhea-causing parasite known as cryptosporidium. The contamination occurred when the parasite entered the underground reservoir through a damaged air valve in a cattle field. Each affected person will receive approximately £215 as compensation for the undrinkable water.
Last week, thousands of homes and businesses in Devon were issued a ‘boil water’ notice as a result of the outbreak. Within just two days, the number of confirmed cases nearly doubled, with 46 people found to be contaminated and another 100 reporting symptoms. The severity of the symptoms include profuse diarrhea, stomach pains, vomiting, and fever. The situation was so dire that one primary school had to close due to fears that students would develop symptoms.
Devon MP Anthony Mangnall has criticized the small payout, calling for South West Water to suspend its dividend offering or for the company’s boss to step down. Mangnall believes that at a time when confidence in the company is low, their priority should be to regain the trust of consumers rather than focus on benefiting shareholders. He plans to discuss the issue with Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
In response to the criticism, SWW boss Susan Davy emphasized their commitment to restoring a safe water supply to the affected areas. She stated that while 85% of customers now have access to normal service, the company will not stop until the local drinking water meets the expected quality standards. Davy assured that the health and safety of customers remain their top priority, and their operational teams are working tirelessly to achieve this.
Fortunately, most of the area’s drinking water has been deemed safe to consume again. SWW chief customer officer Laura Flowerdew announced that, following extensive testing, the boil water notice in the Alston water supply area has been lifted. This decision has been supported by public health experts from the government and the local authority’s environmental health department. Flowerdew acknowledged the disruption, distress, and anxiety caused by the situation and expressed sincere apologies for the incident.
