A WATER company has admitted supplying water unfit for human consumption after a parasitic outbreak left hundreds of people unwell.
South West Water Ltd pleaded guilty during a hearing at Exeter Magistrates’ Court following a May 2024 contamination.
A parasite known as cryptosporidium, that causes sickness and diarrhoea, found its way into the water supply – affecting hundreds of residents in Brixham, Devon.
Residents were left seriously unwell with some being hospitalised after the contamination.
Some 17,000 homes were issued with a “boil water” notice when reports of the parasitic taint began to flood in.
The notice advised residents affected by the outbreak not to drink tap water and to boil it and allow it to cool before using it.
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For some households the notice remained in place for eight long weeks.
South West Water was subsequently prosecuted for an offence under s70(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991 by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).
The supplier now faces a fine when it is sentenced on June 2 in the same court.
Representing the DWI, Howard Leithead asked that the case be sent to Crown Court.
He said the issue was “high-profile or exceptionally sensitive”, adding: “Not only was this very high-profile, but this incident affected a significant number of people across a broad geographical area.
“It resulted in an adverse impact on the public confidence in the water supply in this area.
“Its effects were, some of the complaints say, long felt after the lifting of the boil water notices.”
Representing South West Water, Dominic Kay KC said the firm pleaded guilty at the first instance.
He argued the case could be sentenced by a district judge in magistrates’ court.
Kay added: “We would respectfully submit that it isn’t a complex case, and certainly not one of such complexity that this court cannot deal with.
“Factually, there is not a huge amount between the parties, as I understand matters.
“The only real bone of contention, as the court has rightly observed, is often the case in these prosecutions, where the case sits on culpability.”
District Judge Stuart Smith rejected the prosecution’s submission and retained jurisdiction.
The firm’s owner, Pennon, said the final bill for the outbreak reached nearly £40 million.
Pennon also owns Bristol Water, Bournemouth Water and SES Water.
The supplier said it was facing costs of roughly £36 million for the supply contamination incident.
Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, Caroline Voaden, said: “This admission of guilt has been a long time coming.
“I am glad that SWW have owned up to their serious failures. This awful event should never have happened.
“But the mismatch between rhetoric and action plagues our broken water industry.
“Whether it is protecting customers or the environment, too many water firms say one thing, then do another.”