South West Water fined £1.93m for contaminated drinking water

South West Water has been issued with a record fine for supplying water that was unfit for human consumption.

The water is believed to have been contaminated on two sites at a farm in Devon, where soil samples tested positive for cryptosporidium.

There were 537 probable or confirmed cases of cryptosporidiosis, with at least 10 people admitted to hospital as a result of the contamination, and more than 6,000 homes in the area were issued with boil notices, where water must be boiled then cooled before being consumed, which were not lifted for some properties for 54 days.