Pay-out goes to water bug victims

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A total of 29 people affected in a 2005 water bug outbreak in Gwynedd and Anglesey have received compensation of between £1,500 and £5,000 each.

Mike Neale of solicitors Pictons said they were "delighted" it was sorted out, but some cases were outstanding.

In November 2005, 231 people were left ill after cryptosporidium affected a Snowdonia reservoir.

There have been two other cases this year of customers being asked to boil water in north Wales.

"Clients who have received damaged are delighted that it is now out of the way," said Mr Neale.

'Surgery'

"These include one client who now has a fear of drinking water, she will never drink water again after this outbreak and she has been compensated for this.

"There is also a gentleman who faces surgery because of cryptosporidium.

"Another one who suffered from a previous condition, and whose treatment had to be stopped when he contacted a bug.

"There are also children involved including a leukaemia sufferer, who luckily is OK," he said.

In the 2005 outbreak 231 people contacted the bug which was later traced to the Cwellyn water reservoir in Snowdonia.

Mr Neale added: "If any of the other victims want to put in a claim they have to do that very quickly indeed, as there is a three-year limit."

In September this year boil water notices were put in place in Bangor and parts of Anglesey, although none of the cases of illness reported were traced to the source at a water treatment works.

The month before 50,000 customers in the Aberdyfi area of Gwynedd were told to boil their water after heavy rain meant water quality had deteriorated.