Thousands of Brixham residents told they can safely drink tap water again

Thousands of people in Brixham can now safely drink their tap water again after days of being told to boil it first following a parasite outbreak, the region’s water supplier has announced.

About 16,000 households and businesses in the Brixham area of Devon, supplied by South West Water (SWW), had been told not to use their tap water for drinking without boiling and cooling it first.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said on Friday that 46 cases of cryptosporidium, a disease which can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting, had been confirmed in the town and that more cases were anticipated.