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Lancashire residents urged to boil drinking water Lancashire residents urged to boil drinking water
(about 2 hours later)
Hundreds of thousands of people in Lancashire are being warned to boil their tap water before use to kill a microscopic bug. Tests at a water treatment plant have found traces of cryptosporidium, a parasite which can cause gastroenteritis and is commonly associated with diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea. More than 300,000 households in Lancashire will have to boil drinking water into next week following the discovery of a microscopic bug.
The water firm United Utilities issued the public health warning after discovering “low” traces of cryptosporidium in its water supply.
The parasite can cause gastroenteritis and is commonly associated with doarrhoea, vomiting and nausea.
The warning was issued on Thursday afternoon to United Utilities customers across large parts of Lancashire including Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Preston, South Ribble and Wyre.The warning was issued on Thursday afternoon to United Utilities customers across large parts of Lancashire including Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Preston, South Ribble and Wyre.
The water firm is advising the customers to boil their water for all drinking, food preparation and teeth brushing as a precaution until further notice. Residents can continue to use tap water without boiling for general domestic purposes such as bathing, flushing toilets or washing clothes.The water firm is advising the customers to boil their water for all drinking, food preparation and teeth brushing as a precaution until further notice. Residents can continue to use tap water without boiling for general domestic purposes such as bathing, flushing toilets or washing clothes.
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The warning comes after routine tests at Franklaw water treatment works in Preston detected traces of cryptosporidium.
Martin Padley, the chief scientific officer of United Utilities, said on Thursday: “The advice is being given purely as a precautionary measure as we carry out additional tests today. We apologise for the inconvenience but the health of our customers is absolutely paramount.”Martin Padley, the chief scientific officer of United Utilities, said on Thursday: “The advice is being given purely as a precautionary measure as we carry out additional tests today. We apologise for the inconvenience but the health of our customers is absolutely paramount.”
United Utilities said the warning affected about 300,00 people, adding that it is monitoring water supplies and hopes to be able to lift the notice as soon as possible.
A Lancashire county council spokesman reiterated that the warning was being issued as a precaution and that there were no plans to close schools in the area “at this stage”.
Dr Derek Gatherer, an expert in diseases and viruses at Lancaster University, said it was too early to say whether the case would lead to an outbreak of cryptosporidium – but said people should not be too concerned if they follow the advice about boiling tap water.Dr Derek Gatherer, an expert in diseases and viruses at Lancaster University, said it was too early to say whether the case would lead to an outbreak of cryptosporidium – but said people should not be too concerned if they follow the advice about boiling tap water.
“It’s very unlikely that we will get any serious clinical implications because most people won’t notice they have it – apart from a short burst of diarrhoea – it’s just with the elderly and the young it can cause more serious symptoms,” he said.“It’s very unlikely that we will get any serious clinical implications because most people won’t notice they have it – apart from a short burst of diarrhoea – it’s just with the elderly and the young it can cause more serious symptoms,” he said.
Gatherer said it was highly unlikely to reach the “worst case scenario” of the 1998 Sydney water crisis, when traces of cryptosporidium and giardia were found in water between July and September in several major surburban areas.Gatherer said it was highly unlikely to reach the “worst case scenario” of the 1998 Sydney water crisis, when traces of cryptosporidium and giardia were found in water between July and September in several major surburban areas.