Water Bug Gets UV Treatment

Ultra-violet light is being used to treat infected tap water at a Northamptonshire plant.

Anglican Water say the technology is a "well-known" cure for the cryptosporidium parasite which is affecting supplies to around 108,000 properties or 250,000 customers.

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite that causes a severe diarrhoeal disease known as cryptosporidiosis.

Symptoms include stomach pains, dehydration, weigh loss and fever.

The most common routes of Cryptosporidium infection are through person-to-person or animal-to-person contact. Infection through recreational waters is also a known route. The organism being transmitted through contaminated drinking water supplies is less common but has the potential to affect large numbers of people.

Anglican Water had issued a warning to residents living in the Northampton and Daventry areas to boil their water before using it. This advice still stands.

The areas affected include Colllingtree, Brixworth, Walgrave, Harpole and Everdon.

Schools in the areas that did not have enough bottled water were forced to close although these have since reopened.

The main focus of the inquiry into the contamination is the Pitsford water treatment works, which serves the main water resevoir.

The average daily output of the treatment works is 40,000 cubic metres of water.

An Anglican Water spokesman said "scientist are working around the clock to find the source of the problem and are investigating the Pitsford water treatment works.

"We have brought in three ultra violet units and this is a well known technology for rendering cryptosporidium harmless," he said.

The water company is delivering around 37,500 bottles of water to schools, hospitals and care homes every working day as long as the situation lasts.

Anglican Water has said that that the tap water remains "quite safe" for washing, bathing and toilet flushing.

Analysts spotted the infected water during routine tests, the alarm was raised when one of the tests failed a cleanliness check.

The company has apologised for inconvenience caused but stresses "the health and safety of its customers must come first".

Anglican Water is working with local authorities and Health Protection Unit to provide advice.

The company is based in the east of England serves around six million industrial, commercial and domestic customers.

See: Warning Issued Over Water Bug

(DS)