---

Dept of the Environment

Answer

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each occasion, specifying dates and locations, on which cryptosporidium has been reported in domestic water supplies in the last five years. [40346] Mr. Clappison: The water companies in England and Wales are required to report all incidents in which water quality might be affected. On cryptosporidium the notification can relate to either the detection of cryptosporidium oocysts in treated water, or to an increase of the illness cryptosporidiosis in the community or both. The transmission of the illness occurs in a number of ways and often through contact with animals. One recent outbreak of cryptosporidiosis was found to be associated with the failure of a milk pasteurisation plant. All incidents are investigated fully by the drinking water inspectorate. As cryptosporidiosis can be transmitted in many ways the source of any outbreak has to be established through epidemiology. A case of South West Water Services Ltd. allegedly supplying water unfit for human consumption because of cryptosporidium is currently before the courts. Notifications of events involving cryptosporidium are listed below under four headings. It should be noted that not all notifications become confirmed as incidents. Cryptosporidium oocysts detected in treated water but no reported increase of cryptosporidiosis in the community _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Water company area Date Location Yorkshire Water 19 December 1991 Redmires Southern Water 19 March 1992 Broadfields Water Treatment Works (WTW) Severn Trent Water 20 August 1992 Fairholmes WTW Southern Water 8 September 1992 Steyning WTW Southern Water 22 October 1992 Testwood WTW South West Water 29 December 1992 Broomhill WTW Yorkshire Water 5 January 1995 Huby WTW Yorkshire Water 16 March 1995 Fixby WTW Essex and Suffolk 30 March 1995 Ormsby WTW Yorkshire Water 31 August 1995 Cottingham adit Yorkshire Water 13 September 1995 Kepwick Springs WTW (in raw water) South West Water 13 September 1995 Parracombe WTW Yorkshire Water 15 January 1996 Kepwick Springs WTW Cambridge Water 30 May 1996 Duxford/Linton Mid Kent Water 3 July 1996 Burham WTW Southern Water 3 July 1996 Burham WTW _________________________________________________________________________________________________. An increase in cryptosporidiosis in the community but oocysts not detected in treated water _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Water company area Date Location Southern Water 28 December 1990 Thanet area North West Water 5 May 1992 West Cumbria North West Water 27 March 1992 Barrow-in-Furness North West Water 14 December 1992 Warrington Northumbrian 15 June 1993 Sherburn North West April 94 Chorley _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Both oocysts detected in treated water an increase of cryptosporidiosos in the community _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Water Company Area Date Location Yorkshire Water 13.11.92 Bingley and Shipley South West Water 12.08.95 Torbay/Littlehempston _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Incidents still under investigation _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Water Company Area Date Location Wessex Water April 1993 Poole Yorkshire Water 11 June 1993 Gilstead Yorkshire Water 5 January 1996 Elvington WTW Yorkshire Water 10 January 1996 Elvington WTW North East 25 January 1996 Sunderland Yorkshire Water 21 March 1996 Tophill North West Water 29 April 1996 The Wirral South West Water 29 May 1996 Littlehempston South West Water 27 June 1996 Crown Hill WTW _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

40346; 282 c810-1W;282 c808-9W

Session

1995-96

Subjects

Pollution Monitoring Water Water supply Cryptosporidia