Water firms pleads guilty to Brixham bug outbreak

Hundreds of residents were affected

Devon's main water supplier has admitted to providing water unfit for human consumption following a parasite outbreak in Brixham. 

In a hearing at Exeter magistrates' court today (March 4), the firm admitted a charge brought by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.

In May 2024, the microscopic parasite Cryptosporidium entered the local water network through a damaged valve, leading to four hospitalisations and 143 cases of people falling ill with symptoms such as fever, stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. 

The waterborne disease parasite is found in animals and human faeces, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

For nearly eight weeks, the town was under strict boil water notices. Up to 16,000 homes and businesses were affected and relied on bottled water stations distributed throughout the area. 

The notice remained in effect until July 2024, causing significant disruption to daily life and the local economy.

Over the eight weeks, more than 1,000 technicians, engineers, and scientists worked 24/7 to sanitise the network, with just over 20 miles of pipes flushed 27 times at high velocity. 

The company reported a total cost of £16.3 million in the dedicated tourism recovery fund, as well as a three-year commitment to help the region bounce back from the negative publicity. 

In total, the outbreak cost South West Water £16.3 million in compensation it had to pay to affected customers.

MP Caroline Voadon serves the area, says 

“This admission of guilt has been a long time coming. I am glad that SWW have owned up to their serious failures. This awful event should never have happened.

“But the mismatch between rhetoric and action plagues our broken water industry. Whether it is protecting customers or the environment, too many water firms say one thing, then do another.

“I want to thank the Drinking Water Inspectorate for bringing the case and the many campaigners who worked tirelessly to ensure the anguish they felt during the cryptosporidium outbreak was not forgotten.

“Last summer, the government finally started to overhaul our water industry by promising to abolish Ofwat. But progress has been glacially slow. They must go much further and faster – this industry must be properly regulated and held to account.”