Friday, August 21, 2015

"An English bug infestation"

*Warning: AL JAZEERA AMERICA presentation*

Ross Parry / SWNS GroupActivity at the Franklaw Water Treatment plant on Catterall Lane, Garstang, after news of water contamination.
Panic in Lancashire: The Franklaw Water Treatment plant on Catterall Lane, Garstang
More than 300,000 homes are still having to boil tap water – 16 days after a bug contaminated supplies.
United Utilities is blitzing cryptosporidium traces with eight ultraviolet light rigs.
It said it was a “step closer” to its Lancashire supplies being safe to drink again.
But the company, which faces a mounting compensation bill to householders and businesses, said it still could not specify when it will able to give the go-ahead for people to use unboiled water for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth.
The affected area covers a large swathe of Lancashire, including Preston, Blackpool and the Fylde coast.
SWNSGiardia
The bug: A photomicrograph of Giardia, one of the organisms found to be polluting the drinking water in Lancashire
Eight UV rigs are being installed around the county where the rays will attach to pipes and kill off the bug which is said to be at "very low levels", said the firm.
Customer services manager Gary Dixon said: "Nobody wants this to go on and that is the company as well.
"We fully sympathise with the impact that this is having on our customers but we are doing everything that we possibly can to make this problem go away.
"Putting this UV equipment in means that we are a step closer towards being able to lift that boil water notice.
"Once we get all this UV equipment plumbed in and working we will then have a better view and be able to accurately forecast when we will be able to lift the notice.
GettyA general view of Blackpool Tower and beach
Water carry on: Blackpool is one of the areas affected by the boil water notice
"But until we get all this commissioned and switched on and working, and we get samples that say the water is clear and safe to drink, we cannot specify the time that this is going to be on for."
The source of the outbreak on August 6 was identified as the Franklaw water treatment plant in Preston.
Cryptosporidium exists in the environment in a form called an oocyst, which is less than a 10th of the thickness of a human hair.
Infection with the parasite can cause diarrhoea and abdominal cramps.

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