More than 100,000 households in Northamptonshire are being told to boil tap water for drinking after a bug was found to have contaminated supplies.
More than 100,000 households in Northamptonshire are being told to boil tap water for drinking after a bug was found to have contaminated supplies.
Tests found cryptosporidium in a sample from supplies to Northampton, Daventry and surrounding villages.
Tests found cryptosporidium in a sample from supplies to Northampton, Daventry and surrounding villages.
The parasite causes stomach upsets and the most common symptom is diarrhoea.
The parasite causes stomach upsets and the most common symptom is diarrhoea.
Eleven schools in the area which do not have enough bottled water have closed. Scientists from Anglian Water are trying to trace the bug's source.
Fourteen schools in the area which rely on tap water for drinking fountains have shut. Anglian Water scientists are trying to trace the bug's source.
About 108,000 households across 85 communities in the north of Northamptonshire are affected by the contamination.
About 250,000 people across 85 communities in the north of Northamptonshire are affected by the contamination.
'Safety comes first'
Anglian Water vans equipped with loudspeakers have been sent out to warn people about the problem.
Anglian Water vans equipped with loudspeakers have been sent out to warn people about the problem.
A spokesman for Anglian Water said: "Due to the size of the area affected, bottled water will only be delivered to special needs customers on Anglian Water's WaterCare register as soon as possible.
A spokesman for Anglian Water said: "Due to the size of the area affected, bottled water will only be delivered to special needs customers on Anglian Water's WaterCare register as soon as possible.
"The company apologises for the inconvenience this will cause, but stresses that the health and safety of its customers must come first."
"The company apologises for the inconvenience this will cause, but stresses that the health and safety of its customers must come first."
He added it was necessary to boil water for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth - though water was safe for washing.
Care homes, doctor's surgeries and hospitals are priorities for bottled water but some supermarkets are restricting sales to five bottles per person.
The Anglian Water spokesman added it was necessary to boil water for drinking, food preparation and brushing teeth - though water was safe for washing.
A statement from Northamptonshire County Council said: "In light of the warning to households in the county to boil water, schools in those affected areas are being advised to close if they do not have stocks of bottled water."
A statement from Northamptonshire County Council said: "In light of the warning to households in the county to boil water, schools in those affected areas are being advised to close if they do not have stocks of bottled water."
Penny Howell, headteacher of Chiltern primary school, Northampton, said she decided to close after Anglian Water said they were not able to supply the 200 bottles of water she needed for the 203 pupils.
She said: "We told parents as they brought their children to school that we were closed, so they were able to take their children away."
Ms Howell said the water company had promised to supply the bottles for Thursday, so the school was expected to re-open then.
Samples scrutinised
Samples scrutinised
Penny Howell, headteacher of Chiltern primary school in New Duston, Northampton, said she decided to close after Anglian Water said they were not able to supply the 200 bottles of water she needed for the 203 pupils until Thursday afternoon.
"This means we will be closed on Thursday as well.
"We told parents as they brought their children to school that we were closed, so they were able to take their children away.
"We decided early to close but many parents had not seen the news so brought their children to school and about 50% of them come from five or six miles away.
"They just did not realise the scale of this problem. A lot of the larger schools have drinking water supplied in barrels but the smaller school have tap water drinking fountains and you just cannot stop the children using these.
"After all, they use them every day and the four-year-olds just would not understand why they can't now."
The water company is investigating the cause of the outbreak which the spokesman said affects one of their largest water sources at Pitsford Reservoir, north of Northampton.
The water company is investigating the cause of the outbreak which the spokesman said affects one of their largest water sources at Pitsford Reservoir, north of Northampton.
Analysts, who scrutinise about 1,000 water samples every day, spotted the contamination during the routine tests. They raised the alarm when one of the tests failed and was checked a second time.
Analysts, who scrutinise about 1,000 water samples every day, spotted the contamination during the routine tests. They raised the alarm when one of the tests failed and was checked a second time.
The results of the second test came out early in the morning and an alert was issued - but tracing the cause may take a long time as the reservoir supplies such a wide area and a large number of homes.
The results of the second test came out early in the morning and an alert was issued - but tracing the cause may take a long time as the reservoir supplies such a wide area and a large number of homes.
Anglian Water advises customers with worries about their health to contact their GP or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Anglian Water advises customers with worries about their health to contact their GP or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.
Do you live in Northamptonshire? Have you been told to boil your water? Or has your child's school been closed as a result of this bug? If you have been affected by the cryptosporidium bug send us your comments and experiences using the form below:
Do you live in Northamptonshire? Have you been told to boil your water? Or has your child's school been closed as a result of this bug? If you have been affected by the cryptosporidium bug send us your comments and experiences using the form below:
