Water contamination was caused by fuel
No: 45,375
WATER contamination on a Cambridge estate in January was caused by fuel, a water company has confirmed.
Residents at the Marleigh estate received a letter about an investigation into the contamination on Tuesday (March 26).
Residents at the estate were told not to use tap water for anything other than flushing the toilet by Independent Water Networks (IWN) on January 18.
The ‘ do not use’ warning was changed to a ‘do not drink’ warning on January 23, with residents told the water was safe to use on January
24. Charlie Thackeray, Water Network Director at IWN, wrote to residents explaining that new legs of water main were added to the existing supply system at the Marleigh estate on January
17. He said: “Within 24 hours of connecting the new water mains, we received reports of a diesellike smell in the water.” The new section of water mains was disconnected with IWN taking samples for laboratory analysis.
The network was also flushed and retested until the system was clear. “Some small areas of fuel contamination were found in six locations,” Mr
Thackeray wrote. “It is not possible for us to be certain where the contamination came from.
“Possibilities include from plant or vehicle refuelling spills or possibly from contaminated imported backfill materials.”
Small quantities of the fuel contamination entered the newly laid water system.
The company has since arranged to replace all the mains laid in the construction area with ‘barrier pipe’ to ensure water supplied meets all water quality requirements.
Within 24 hours of connecting new water mains, we received reports of a diesel-like smell in the water. Charlie Thackeray