South West Water is fined a record amount after a cryptosporidium contamination incident in Brixham, Devon, made hundreds of people ill. Multiple outlets report that the company, which is owned by Pennon Group, is convicted after supplying water considered unfit for human consumption.
The incident occurred in the spring and summer of 2024 and involved the waterborne parasite cryptosporidium. Coverage says the outbreak led to more than 140 reported cases of sickness and diarrhoea, with four people hospitalised. Authorities required many households to boil their water during the response.
At Exeter Magistrates’ Court, the company pleaded guilty to a criminal drinking-water offence. Reported fine amounts are consistently described as record-level, ranging around £1.8 million to £1.9 million, with one source stating £2.0 million. The fines reflect the seriousness of the offence and the scale of the impact on residents in the affected area.
