Latest news with #HighBentham
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Boil order issued for tap water in 200 postcodes
Yorkshire Water issued a "do not drink" warning for tap water in nearly 200 postcodes across High Bentham, Low Bentham, and Burton in Lonsdale due to above-average levels of coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria, often found in the digestive systems of humans and animals, can indicate the presence of harmful bacteria and cause gastrointestinal issues. Residents were advised to boil water before consumption or use bottled water provided by Yorkshire Water. After further testing and monitoring, Yorkshire Water lifted the boil water notice, confirming that the water met their usual high standards. The company apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their patience.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Urgent ‘do not drink' warning issued for tap water in UK region over contamination fears
A British water company has urged local residents not to drink from their taps after discovering bacteria indicating possible contamination with human or animal waste. Yorkshire Water has issued a boil order affecting nearly 200 post codes across three towns and villages in the region, after discovering above-average levels of the bacteria coliform in the local water supply. Coliforms, which can include bacteria such as are typically found in the digestive systems of humans and animals. While fecal coliforms themselves can cause stomach pains, diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal diseases, they can also indicate the presence of other more harmful bacteria in a water supply. The warning has been issued for residents living in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale. In its latest update at 5:30pm on Tuesday, Yorkshire Water said: 'The boil water advice is still in place until further notice. Boiling your water before consuming it is sufficient protection. 'However, we have provided some bottled water for customers that have a medical need or may find boiling their water difficult. 'We are working to resolve the issue and our most recent tests show that the situation has improved. We will be in touch to let you know when everything is back to normal.' Urging residents in the affected areas to boil all tap water before using it for drinking, cleaning teeth or preparing foods which will be eaten uncooked, Yorkshire Water said: 'Tap water should be boiled for a few seconds and stored in clean, covered containers in a cool place for a maximum of 24 hours. 'Water for babies' feeds should be boiled (and allowed to cool) immediately before use. Boiling is sufficient protection, there is no need to use bottled water.' Yorkshire Water said it was continuing to take samples to monitor the quality of the local water supply while working to resolve the issue, and is working closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The Independent has approached the UKHSA for further information. In a statement, Yorkshire Water said: 'Routine testing of the water supply in the local area has shown it doesn't meet our usual standards, and we are asking affected customers to continue following boil water advice, as a precautionary measure, until further notice. 'Any property impacted by the issue has had a hand delivered notice of the boil order – customers can double check if they are impacted on our website. 'We'd like to remind customers that boiling water provides sufficient protection; however, we appreciate that can be inconvenient and have delivered bottled water to any customer on our priority services register. 'We are working hard to determine why this has happened, and to get things back to normal as quickly as is possible – we thank everyone affected for their patience.'
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Urgent 'do not drink' warning issued for tap water in UK region - due to fears of deadly contamination
Residents in North Yorkshire have been told to boil their tap water after tests revealed it contained high levels of bacteria found in faeces. The boil water notice was issued by Yorkshire Water for customers in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale areas. Affected customers should boil their tap water before drinking it, using it to brush their teeth or for washing salad, the company said. Yorkshire water issued the notice after routine testing detected the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria during routine testing. Coliform bacteria are those commonly found in the digestive systems of animals and people and include organisms like E. coli. While most coliform bacteria won't make people severely ill, their presence in water supplies is considered a warning that other, more dangerous but harder to detect, pathogens may also be present. This includes cryptosporidium, a potentially deadly parasite that can cause bowel-cancer like symptoms. Yorkshire Water said: 'We regularly check our drinking water to make sure it meets our high standards and during routine tests we've found the water supply in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale didn't meet our usual standards. 'While we investigate this, we're asking all customers to boil their water as a precautionary measure to keep everyone safe.' The company also advised people who feel unwell in the coming days to inform their doctor about the boil notice. It added that boiling water should be sufficient to eliminate any of potentially harmful organisms present and that purchasing bottled water is not necessary. However, supplies of bottled water are being handed out in certain locations if residents are unable to boil supplies at home for any reason. Anyone affected by the boil water notice will have been hand delivered a form, the company added.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
‘Boil tap water' warning issued after high levels of harmful bacteria discovered in UK water supply
BRITS have been urged to boil their tap water after tests uncovered high levels of harmful bacteria in the water supply. Water people intend to drink, clean their teeth or wash salad with should be boiled before use, Yorkshire Water warned. The company said it had issued a "boil order" for its customers in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale following the discovery of coliform bacteria during routine testing. The germs widely found in the environment, particularly in water and soil. "They are a commonly used indicator of sanitary quality of foods and water," according to a report on water quality and management. While coliform bacteria themselves are generally harmless, their presence in drinking water can mean there's a risk of other, more harmful germs contaminating the water too. This is because coliform bugs - such as and Enterococci - are often found in the digestive tracts of animals and humans, suggesting faecal contamination and the presence of other disease-causing germs. Yorkshire Water said: "We regularly check our drinking water to make sure it meets our high standards and during routine tests we've found the water supply in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale didn't meet our usual standards. "While we investigate this, we're asking all customers to boil their water as a precautionary measure to keep everyone safe. " The company explained that coliform bacteria had been found in water samples gathered during routine testing. "Whilst our treatment processes take out any impurities in the water to make sure it's of the highest quality, the coliform bacteria we have found in these samples is higher than we would normally see so as a precaution we are asking that customers boil their water before use until further notice. "Our water quality team will continue to take samples to monitor the quality of the water in the area whilst we work hard to resolve the issues. " Food Standards Agency explains E Coli Yorkshire Water said it was "working closely" with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on the matter. Customers living in the affected postcodes received hand delivered notices about the boil order. The company provided a full list of affected postcodes on their website. People in these areas who become unwell were urged to tell their doctor about the boil order if they seek medical help. As of 5:30pm on April 13, the order was still in place "until further notice". "We are working to resolve the issue and our most recent tests show that the situation has improved," the water provider said. "We will be in touch to let you know when everything is back to normal." Sun Health has contacted Yorkshire Water for further updates. But the company assured customers that "boiling your water before consuming it is sufficient protection" against the bacteria. Symptoms of an infection Escherichia coli O157, sometimes called STEC (Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli), is a bacterial infection that can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure. The NHS lists the symptoms as: Diarrhoea Stomach cramps Occasionally fever About half of people with the infection will have bloody diarrhoea. People usually notice symptoms three to four days after they' ve been infected. But symptoms can start any time between one and 14 days afterwards. These symptoms can last up to two weeks. A small number of people with E. coli O157 infection go on to develop a serious condition called haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS). Symptoms of HUS include: Peeing less Tiredness Swelling Bruising This can sometimes lead to kidney failure and death, although this is rare. The risk of HUS is highest in children aged under five years. Some people become infected but don't develop symptoms. Speak to your GP if you or your child has diarrhoea and: It's particularly frequent or severe It lasts for more than seven days A severe or continuous stomach ache Weight loss Have passed a large amount of very watery diarrhoea Have signs of dehydration – including drowsiness, peeing less than usual, and feeling lightheaded or dizzy If you or your child has bloody diarrhoea contact your GP practice and ask for an urgent appointment or call NHS 111. "Studies undertaken by the World Health Organisation has concluded that boiling the water is sufficient to inactivate pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa," it said. "Tap water should be boiled for a few seconds and stored in clean, covered containers in a cool place for a maximum of 24 hours." This applies to water for drinking, cleaning teeth or preparing foods people intend to eat raw, like salads or fruit. "Water for babies' feeds should be boiled - and allowed to cool - immediately before use," Yorkshire Water added. It noted that water filters won't help get rid of bacteria - instead they "may trap contamination". It urged customers not to use water filters in place of boiling. Yorkshire Water noted that it's still safe to use tap water for washing and showering, as well as washing clothes and dishes. The company said it given some customers with medical needs or who may find boiling water difficult with bottled water. For customers that may find it difficult to boil their water, we have delivered bottled water to three nearby locations. These are available while stocks last.
