Boil water notice lifted for thousands of homes

United Utilities has lifted the boiled water advice in further parts of Lancashire.

A further 54,000 customers in the remaining parts of Blackpool and Lytham St Annes and some of the south parts of the Fylde no longer need to boil their tap water.

More than 300,000 homes have been affected in the county after a parasite was discovered at a treatment works.

To check which postcodes are now lifted, customers can visit United Utilities’ website: www.unitedutilities.com or call the freephone number: 0800 912 7241.

The water firm says that it expects to be able to lift the boil water advice for the vast majority of remaining customers by the end of this weekend.

United Utilities faces paying around £15 million pounds in compensation to
households in Lancashire affected by the outbreak of a parasitic bug in supplies.

The company said that cheques for payments ranging from £50 to £60 were starting to be sent out to 300,000 households.

Homes and businesses in parts of the county were first warned to boil their water before use on August 6 after traces of the microbial parasite cryptosporidium was found in a water treatment works in Preston.

A further 25,000 customers in parts of South Blackpool and Lytham St Annes no longer need to boil their tap water.

It's expected two-thirds of customers will be back to normal service by the end of the day after an outbreak of cryptosporidium at treatment works in Preston.

United Utilities say customers will be getting compensation - but have yet to say how much. The firm say eradicating the bug from a water network covering 2,500 miles of pipework is a complex process.

United Utilities has lifted the boiled water advice in further parts of Lancashire. People in Chorley, Preston and South Ribble no longer need to boil their tap water. A further 86,000 properties are included in the latest lift, bringing the total number of homes and businesses now able to use their water as normal to half of the original area.

To check which postcodes are now lifted, click here.

More than 250,000 residents are still having to boil their water, and United Utilities say they must check their postcode on their website.

• CHECK YOUR POSTCODE HERE

Customers can also call a freephone number on 0800 912 7241.

United Utilities has issued a list of the postcodes cleared to use tap water without boiling after the cryptosporidium outbreak. The cleared postcodes are

• FY1 2
• FY1 3
• FY2 9
• PR1 0
• PR1 1
• PR1 2
• PR1 3
• PR1 4
• PR1 5
• PR1 6
• PR1 7
• PR1 8
• PR1 9
• PR2 1
• PR2 2
• PR2 6
• PR7 2
• PR7 3
• PR7 4

United Utilities say they have lifted the boil water notice for 80,000 homes in parts of Lancashire, around a quarter of those affected by the cryptosporidium outbreak.

Residents in parts of Blackpool, Chorley and Preston will be able to use their water without boiling it.

More than 250,000 residents are still having to boil their water, and United Utilities say they must check their postcode on their website.

• CHECK YOUR POSTCODE HERE

Customers can also call a freephone number on 0800 912 7241.

United Utilities has said there is no timeframe of when the boil-water notice will be lifted in certain towns and cities in Lancashire.

It's two weeks today since the notice went out for homes to boil their water after an outbreak of the Crytosporidium bug was found in the area's water supply.

United Utilities say it is unlikely to lift its boil water notice until Friday, nine days after the company found traces of cryptosporidium in its water supply.

Around 300,000 residents in Lancashire are still being told to boil tap water before drinking it, preparing food and brushing teeth.

United Utilities told Granada Reports the situation is now 'in the hands of the scientists' at its laboratory in Warrington where tests of water samples for the water-based parasite are taking place around the clock.

On Monday, the company said one clear sample had been found overnight and it was hoped water would be safe to drink from the tap again by Wednesday this week.

To lift the boil water notice, scientists need to find three negative samples within 24 hours.

However today we are told small traces of cryptospordium remain in the water supply, and the current situation is unlikely to be resolved before the end of the working week.

Until that time, the boil water notice remains in place as a 'precaution' and the company insists the risk remains low and is 'getting lower'.