A cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham, Devon has sparked health concerns, economic disruption, and political backlash, highlighting vulnerabilities in the UK’s water management system and prompting intense scrutiny of South West Water’s handling of the crisis. Here’s the full story.
Water Pollution Crisis.
In an ongoing sign of the water pollution crisis affecting the UK, an outbreak of cryptosporidium, a waterborne parasite which causes severe gastrointestinal illness, recently disrupted the lives of over 17,000 households and businesses in Brixham, Devon.
Urgent Notice
The incident, first detected last Wednesday, led to South West Water issuing an urgent notice advising residents that their tap water was no longer safe to drink and that they should boil it before drinking it.
46 Confirmed Cases
The UK Health Security Agency confirmed that over 100 individuals reported symptoms, and there were 46 confirmed cases, two of which were hospitalised, showing symptoms which included diarrhoea, vomiting, and dehydration.
£215 Compensation
South West Water, owned by Pennon Group, responded by promising affected households compensation totalling £3.5 million. Each customer received £215 through bank payments or bill credits.
“Working Tirelessly”
Pennon’s chief executive, Susan Davy, said the company’s engineers were “working tirelessly around the clock” to restore regular customer service.
“100% Focused”
Davy stated, “We are 100% focused on returning a safe water supply to the people and businesses in and around Brixham. Normal service has returned for 85% of customers, but we won’t stop until the local drinking water is returned to the quality all our customers expect and deserve.”
Impact on Local Business
Despite the company’s efforts, the outbreak significantly impacted local businesses, particularly those in the tourism and hospitality sectors, which are vital to the local economy.
“Considerable Concern”
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay acknowledged the “considerable concern and disruption to the local community” caused by the crisis.
£127 Million Dividend
Adding to the growing anger over the privatised water companies’ handling of the water pollution crisis, which has led to this most recent public health disaster, South West Water announced a dividend payout increase to £127 million, over £15 million more than the previous year.
“These People Have No Shame”
The announcement angered customers and the unions that support the company’s workers. Gary Carter of the GMB Union stated, “These people have no shame. Their water is so dirty it’s literally putting people in hospitals, yet the top brass see fit to hand themselves yet another payout.”
“A Catastrophic Failure”
He continued, “They way water companies are behaving – it’s like they actively want the public to hate them. Water privatisation has been a catastrophic failure for this country.”
Scathing Critique
The incident also provoked a significant political backlash. Labour MP Emma Hardy unleashed a scathing critique of the government’s handling of the public health emergency and pollution crisis in the Commons this week.
“Our Water Is No Longer Safe to Drink”
Hardy stated, “Another day, another example of the depths of failure that this government have taken us. I cannot believe that I am about to say this, but after 14 long years of Conservative rule, in 21st Century Britain, our water is no longer safer to drink.”
“Flailing Around”
“The government will of course be flailing around, desperate for someone else to blame, but this crisis is theirs. They turned a blind eye and left water companies to illegally pump a tidal wave of raw sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas.”
Criminal Charges
Hardy called for stricter regulations on water companies and criminal charges for law-breaking executives, demanding immediate government intervention to address the crisis.
584,000 Discharges
As Hardy mentioned, this latest incident is part of a broader crisis currently affecting the UK’s privatised water companies. According to advocacy groups like Surfers Against Sewage, these companies discharged raw sewage into UK waterways 584,000 times this year.
75% Unsafe
The situation has become so dire that, due to the release of treated and untreated sewage into the UK’s waterways, up to 75% of UK rivers are deemed hazardous to swimmers, surfers, and other water enthusiasts.
Fined £2.15 Million
According to the Environment Agency, South West Water was fined £2.15 million last year for pumping untreated sewage into the rivers and seas around Devon and Cornwall over the previous four years.
Water Privatisation
The Brixham water crisis has reignited the debate over water privatisation in the UK, with critics arguing that profit motives compromise public health and environmental standards.
“Completely Unacceptable”
Even Conservative MPs, such as Anthony Mangnall, who represents Totnes, expressed their frustration, with Mangnall writing on X, formerly Twitter, “Completely unacceptable to see South West Water’s parent group paying out dividends. This tin-eared offering is smack in the face to those who have been so badly impacted by SWW [South West Water]. I suggest that they either suspend the dividend offering or the CEO Susan Davy steps down.”
Severe Health Risks
Despite the ongoing public outcry and the severe health risks posed by the UK’s increasingly polluted water, the broader issues of regulatory oversight, environmental protection and corporate accountability have yet to reach boiling point.
No Safe Drinking Water
Whether this most recent incident, which has hospitalised people, will force the UK government to address the fact that the world’s sixth wealthiest nation doesn’t have safe drinking water remains to be seen.
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Grant Gallacher is a seasoned writer with expertise in politics and impactful daily news. His work, deeply rooted in addressing issues that resonate with a wide audience, showcases an unwavering commitment to bringing forth the stories that matter. He is also known for satirical writing and stand up comedy.