Industrial estate focus of inquiry into contaminated water supply

INVESTIGATIONS INTO how water supplies have been contaminated near Doncaster are focusing on an industrial estate.

Yorkshire Water warned 3,600 households in Thorne and the neighbouring village of Moorends not to use the water for drinking or cooking after “high levels” of bacteria were detected on Friday.

The utility firm apologised over the issue, before later altering its advice to say households could use tap water if it was boiled first.

The advice followed results of further water quality checks and talks with Public Health England.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said yesterday that investigations into the cause of the incident are ongoing but the Coulman Industrial Estate, which is situated in Thorne, is currently being seen as the “potential source” of the problem.

In a statement a spokesman said: “The protection of public health is our number one priority and we will only lift the new advice to boil the water as soon as it is safe to do so.

“We will also continue to distribute bottled water directly to the homes of our vulnerable customers.”

He added: “Customers in Thorne may notice elevated levels of chlorine, which is used safely as part of normal water treatment processes.

“This slight increase in chlorine levels may result in the water having a slight odour, but it is safe to drink once boiled.”

So far more than 100,000 litres of bottled water have been delivered to affected residents. But with the new advice, collection points are slowly being phased out.

Some supermarkets in the area sold out of bottled water on Saturday night, and police were called out to some water points after “mayhem” was caused when hundreds of people turned up to the two free collection points.

On Saturday, former Labour leader Ed Miliband said that he was “very concerned” over the situation that was emerging in the village of Moorends, which is in his constituency.

Mr Miliband, Labour MP for Doncaster North, said on his official Twitter account: “Very concerned for residents who can’t drink water because of contamination in parts of Moorends. In touch with @YorkshireWater about their provision of water while problem is fixed. Also speaking to council.”

Rachel Marklew, aged 28, from Thorne, was one of those affected by the tap water ban and began to feel unwell after drinking it on Friday.

The school teacher, who is 21 weeks pregnant, said: “I’ve been feeling unwell all day.

“As soon as I saw it on Facebook I tweeted Yorkshire Water and when I said I’m pregnant, they rang me straight away.”

She said that residents were fighting in the supermarkets in Doncaster to get hold of bottled water after news of the contamination broke.

“My mum went to Sainsbury’s in Thorne and she said it was carnage,” she said. “There was people fighting over the water.”

Charlie Haysom, Yorkshire Water’s director of service delivery, said that the firm is hoping to restore normal service within the next few days.

He added: “We must emphasise that until we receive further sample results, water has to be boiled first before being used in cooking or for drinking.

“We acted swiftly once initial samples on Friday afternoon indicated the water was not safe to use for drinking or cooking at all.

“By Saturday lunchtime that had been downgraded to a boil first instruction and we hope full normal service may be restored early next week.”

It was carnage. There was people fighting over water. Rachel Marklew, 28, who is a resident of Thorne near Doncaster.