Final boil notices lifted nearly eight weeks after parasite outbreak in Brixham

Residents in parts of Brixham who were still having to boil their water water nearly eight weeks after a parasite was found in supplies, have been told they no longer need to.

The cryptosporidium parasite, which causes sickness and diarrhoea, was found in the water supply for the Brixham area on 15 May.

More than 40,000 people have been affected by the outbreak.

Boil notices were slowly lifting, and today, Monday 8 July, the final few affected areas have had restrictions lifted.

It's now safe for customers in the Higher Brixham, Southdown, Upton Manor and St Mary's supply zones, to drink their tap water as normal.

The source of the contamination has been identified as a damaged air valve casing on private land, which has now been removed and replaced.

South West Water has said a triple layer of protection is now in place, so residents can be confident that their water is safe to drink.

Temporary bottled water stations will close from 9pm on Monday 8 July.

In a statement, South West Water said: "Today we are pleased to be able to lift the Boil Water Notice for all remaining customers in the Brixham area impacted by cryptosporidium."The decision was made in line with the principles agreed with public health partners, including the UK Health Security Agency and the local authority's Environmental Health department.

"Following eight weeks of intensive interventions, enhanced sampling and monitoring together with working alongside public health partners, the full network in the Brixham area has now returned to normal and all customers, business and visitors can drink their tap water, safely. "Nothing has mattered more to us than the health and safety of our customers and we are pleased we can now reassure you that your water supply meets the high standards you rightly expect. "Sample results have shown that the completed work including flushing and ice pigging has been highly effective in removing cryptosporidium from the network. "A triple layer of protection is now in place including microfilters and UV at our tank and in-line microfiltration in your supply zone providing additional barriers. So you can be confident that the water is safe to drink.

"We want to let you know that now you can use your water as normal, we will be closing the bottled water stations from 9pm this evening (Monday 8 July).

"Water deliveries will also stop in the final area to be lifted from the Boil Water Notice today, we will though continue to deliver water to customers on our Priority Services Register today and tomorrow. "We are sorry for the disruption the Boil Water Notice has brought. We are especially sorry for the distress caused to those who fell ill because of cryptosporidium and to the ones who had to care for them.

"We would like to thank all our customers, visitors and businesses for your patience and understanding throughout the incident."