Water firm slammed over bug outbreak

Nov 13 2007 icWales

A WATER company was criticised today over lax procedures at a reservoir which led to a parasitic bug outbreak among hundreds of customers.

Welsh Water has already been fined £60,000 for the outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis in north west Wales in November 2005.

Today the Drinking Water Inspectorate delivered to the company an assessment letter summarising the findings of its probe into the outbreak, which left 231 people suffering diarrhoea and vomiting.

The investigation found the company failed to monitor the water quality at north Wales’ Llyn Cwellyn reservoir, which supplies thousands of customers in Gwynedd and Anglesey.

The letter also said that water treatment processes at Cwellyn were “not capable” of removing Cryptosporidium from the water.

Professor Jeni Colbourne, chief inspector of Drinking Water, said: “Following the recent conclusion of the court process, we are now able to make available the conclusions of our investigation so that local people and other interested parties can understand the circumstances behind the outbreak.

“This assessment letter sets out the full details of the water supply aspects of the outbreak and explains the rationale for all of the Inspectorate’s findings and conclusions.

“We are making the assessment available for the benefit of wider learning and as a reminder of best practice for the water industry.

“We recognise that the company has now installed additional water treatment at Cwellyn.”

Last month Welsh Water was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £69,000 in costs after pleading guilty at Caernarfon Magistrates to supplying water unfit for human consumption.

The letter is expected to be published at 9am.

A spokesman for Welsh Water said: “We can confirm that we have received a letter from the Drinking Water Inspectorate and are currently considering its content.

“We will be responding to the DWI shortly.”