'Boil water' warning is lifted

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A "boil water" notice affecting 70,000 customers in north Wales has been lifted by Welsh Water.

The notice had been in place for a week after the discovery of bacteria at a water treatment works supplying parts of Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy.

The water company said quality checks at the Alwen plant had been clear since Wednesday and new equipment had been installed there over the weekend.

The company said it would make a £10 payment to all affected customers.

The water company had used loud-hailer vehicles to warn residents and tourists visiting the region about boiling water before it was used for drinking and food preparation.

The first advice was issued last Tuesday and businesses and schools in the region said it had a considerable impact on them.

I would like to thank everyone for their patience and for bearing with us whilst we resolved the problem Welsh Water operations director Peter Perry

Welsh Water operations director Peter Perry said: "We are very sorry that we had to issue the precautionary boil water notice a week ago today.

"We do apologise for the inconvenience we know this has caused and I would like to thank everyone for their patience and for bearing with us whilst we resolved the problem we discovered at the Alwen Water Treatment Works, as a result of our routine testing for water quality."

Mr Perry said additional disinfection at the works might cause some customers to notice a slightly different taste to their tap water but that people should not worry about this change.

"Since we discovered the problem at the water treatment works we have taken over 200 samples of water from throughout the supply area and none of these have shown any cause for concern," he said.

"Protecting public health has to be, always, our top priority and having found a problem with water quality at our Alwen water treatment works we judged the safest thing to do was to issue a precautionary boil water notice."

Welsh Water said it would be writing to all 70,000 customers directly affected by the notice and would be making an ex gratia payment of £10 per customer.

It also said a planned £14m investment in the Alwen treatment works scheduled to start in 2010, could be brought forward.

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This is the list issued by Welsh Water of towns and villages which were affected by the advice:

Afonwen, Babell, Bagillt, Bodfari, Betws Gwerfil Goch, Bryn Eglwys, Brynford, Bryn y Ball, Buckley, Bylchau (Conwy), Cadole, Caerwys, Carmel, Cefn Meiriadog, Cilcain, Clawddnewydd, Clocaenog, Connah's Quay (partial), Corwen, Cyffylliog, Cynwyd, Denbigh, Derwen, Derwydd

Efenechtyd, Eryrys, Ewloe, Flint, Flint Mountain, Fynnongroyw, Glyndyfrdwy, Graigfechan, Greenfield, Gronant, Gwernaffield, Gwernymynydd, Gwespyr, Gwyddelwern, Halkyn, Hawarden, Henllan, Holywell, Lixwm, Llanarmon-yn-Ial, Llanasa, Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, Llandegla, Llandrillo, Llandyrnog

Llanefydd (Conwy), Llanelidan , Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd, Llanfair TH (Conwy), Llanferres, Llanfihangel Glyn Myrfyr, Llanfwrog, Llangwyfan, Llanrhaeadr, Llansannan (Conwy), Melin-y-wig, Mold Town, Mostyn, Mynydd Isa , Nanerch, Nantglyn, Nercwys, Northop, Northop Hall, Oakenholt

Pantymwyn, Penyffordd , Peniel, Pentre Halkyn, Pentrecelyn, Pentrellyncymmer, Prion, Pwllglas, Rhes-y-cae, Rhosesmor, Rhydymwyn, Ruthin, Saron, Sychdyn, Talacre, Trelawnyd, Whitford, Ysceifiog