Boil Water Order Issued for Parts of North Yorkshire
A "boil order" has been issued for residents in High Bentham, Low Bentham, and Burton in Lonsdale in North Yorkshire after routine testing of the water supply revealed high levels of a type of bacteria. According to the BBC, Yorkshire Water, the company responsible for the water supply in the area, has advised customers to boil their tap water "until further notice" to ensure it is safe to drink.
The contamination was discovered during routine tests of the water supply, which revealed that it did not meet "our usual standards". A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water told the BBC that the company was "really sorry" about the results of its tests and was "working hard to resolve this issue". The spokesperson added that boiling water would offer "sufficient protection" and appreciated that having to do so "can be inconvenient".
The affected areas include High Bentham, Low Bentham, and Burton in Lonsdale, where residents have been advised to boil their tap water as a precautionary measure. Local businesses have reported a surge in demand for bottled water, with some shops selling out of stock. The manager of a shop in Bentham told the BBC that they had sold out of bottled water, with 88 individual bottles and 19 six-packs being sold on Sunday. The shop has since restocked.
A staff member at a hotel in Bentham reported that people in the area were "panic buying" bottles of water. "We’ve been told to boil all our drinking water," the staff member told the BBC. "I think it’s because we’ve had so little rain lately." Local business owners have been taking steps to adapt to the situation, with some cafes and restaurants switching to serving bottled water or boiling tap water to serve to customers.
Yorkshire Water has confirmed that it has delivered bottled water to customers on its priority services register and has set up bottled water stations in the affected areas. The company has also been working to notify affected residents through social media, texts, and leaflets. However, some residents have expressed frustration that the information provided by Yorkshire Water "didn’t really explain what the issue was".
According to Yorkshire Water, the issue is related to higher than usual levels of the coliform bacteria, which was discovered during routine tests of tap water in the area. The company has been asked to confirm how many properties in the area were affected by the "boil order" in total. In the meantime, residents have been advised to boil their tap water as a precautionary measure to ensure it is safe to drink. Yorkshire Water has apologised for the inconvenience and is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
The company has set up bottled water stations at the Lair Gill Car Park on Butts Lane in High Bentham, the playing field on Wenning Ave in High Bentham, and at the Recreation Ground in Burton In Lonsdale. Residents can access these stations to collect bottled water. Yorkshire Water has also assured that any property affected by the issue "has had a hand-delivered notice of the boil order". The company is working to resolve the issue and restore the water supply to normal as soon as possible.
As reported by the BBC, local business owners such as Mohamed Ezzat, owner of G & Mo’s Cafe in Bentham, are taking steps to adapt to the situation. "To serve customers who want drinking water, we are having to boil water then keep it cool in the fridge," he said. Bryan Jeffs, owner of The Black Pig Cafe, has stopped serving tap water altogether in favour of bottled water.
Yorkshire Water’s priority is to ensure that residents have access to safe drinking water. The company is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and has apologised for the inconvenience caused. The BBC will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available.
