E.coli in tap water hits thousands of homes in Surrey and Kent as residents advised to boil water
E.coli in tap water hits thousands of homes in Surrey and Kent as residents are advised to boil their water before they drink it
SES Water has identified 443 postcodes that could be affected by the bacteriaCustomers are being advised to boil water while further tests are carried outThe water supply company said the issue was discovered during routine testsA spokesperson said it has contacted ‘vulnerable customers as its first priority’
Tap water in thousands of homes in Surrey and Kent could be contaminated by E.coli with residents being advised to boil their water before drinking it.
SES Water identified 443 postcodes in Redhill, Oxted, Godstone, Limpsfield and Sevenoaks that could be affected by the potentially deadly bacteria.
The issue was uncovered during routine tests and customers are being advised to boil their water while further tests are carried out.
A spokesperson for the water supply company said it has reached out to ‘a list of vulnerable customers as its first priority’.
SES Water identified 443 postcodes in Redhill, Oxted, Godstone, Limpsfield and Sevenoaks that could be affected by the potentially deadly bacteria (file photo)
In a statement released this morning, SES Water said: ‘The issue was discovered during routine tests, and our teams are working to investigate the problem and restore supplies to their usual high standards.
‘While we await further test results which will confirm the scale of any contamination, customers should boil their water – and then let it cool – before using it for drinking, preparing food or cleaning their teeth.
‘Pets should also be given boiled tap water. Boiled water can be kept in the fridge, and should be covered and used within 24 hours.’
The company is advising customers to use water as normal for washing, showering and bathing.
SES Water first issued the boil notice at around 4.30pm yesterday, saying that as of last night it had received no reports of any customers falling ill.
E.coli – full name Escherichia coli – is a bacteria commonly found in people’s bodies and which usually does not cause any illness.
The issue was uncovered during routine tests and customers are being advised to boil their water while further tests are carried out (file photo of E.coli)
However, it can cause infection in the gut or urinary tract infections (UTIs) which can have unpleasant symptoms.
Diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever are all common effects, while more serious cases of the infection can cause bloody diarrhoea, dehydration, kidney failure and death, although this is rare.
The NHS states: ‘Anyone who has had an E. coli O157 infection should stay away from work or school until they have been completely free of symptoms for 48 hours.
‘Most people are no longer infectious after about a week, although some people, particularly children, may carry E. coli O157 for several months after they have got better.’