An MP has branded a water company “contemptible and incompetent” as the number of people infected with a waterborne parasite in Devon continues to rise.
South West Water (SWW) has been blamed amid fears drinking contaminated tap water is what has led to more than 100 residents falling ill in the area of Brixham, which the company supplies with water.
Anthony Mangnall, the MP for Totnes and South Devon, said on Saturday that the firm’s response to the crisis has “put a lot of people’s health at risk”.
Chief executive of SWW, Susan Davy, was forced to apologise on Friday over the outbreak, saying she was “truly sorry”.
It comes as SWW said 14,500 households can now drink their tap water safely – however, 2,500 properties in Hillhead, upper parts of Brixham, and Kingswear have been advised to continue to boil their water beforehand.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Friday that 46 cases of parasite cryptosporidium had been confirmed in Brixham, up from 22 cases on Thursday, while more than 100 people reported symptoms, including diarrhoea, stomach pains and dehydration.
Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Torbay’s director of public health, has warned the number of infections may continue to increase for “up to two weeks” due to delays in symptoms developing.
