Independent shops in Brixham stepped up to protect customers after the town’s tap water was contaminated with a parasite.
Around 16,000 residents and businesses in the Devon town were warned to boil tap water before drinking on 15 May after a parasite causing vomiting and diarrhoea was found in the water supply.
Despite bottled water access points being set up, and utility firm South West Water delivering to vulnerable customers ‘every 24 hours’, residents expressed concern that some could be missed. The incident is expected to last ‘at least a week’ according to South West Water.
Charry Kaye at Costcutter Pillar Avenue in the town told Better Retailing: “We sold out of water on yesterday and we’re already out of big gallon bottles again today, we’ve got a delivery coming tomorrow and we’re doing all we can to keep it in stock for customers, we’ve been looking around in other shops and the Sainsbury’s in town is completely sold out.”
Lisa Hallett, an employee at Londis Cambridge Road said: “We’ve sold out completely but we’re getting a delivery tomorrow, we’ve had a lot of elderly customers calling us asking for us to keep some for them. We will be delivering water to them tomorrow as soon as we get it. The whole community is working together to support one another.”
Kathy Voisey of Smardons Newsagents told Better Retailing: “The community is looking after each other, we went down Bookers this morning to stock up, but it is beginning to quiet down, water deliveries from South West Water went out last night.”
At least 22 people have been diagnosed with the cryptosporidium parasite due to the outbreak, and hundreds more have reported experiencing symptoms. The illness has an incubation period of up to 10 days, meaning more cases are expected.
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