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Water crisis: Was Pitsford Reservoir the cause?
Anglian Water says it is still working to identify the source of the contamination that has affected water supplied for 250,000 people.
The cryptosporidium infection was detected at Pitsford Reservoir but the company does not yet know how the water became infected.
Collette Nicholls, of Anglian Water, said: "We don't know how it has got into the water system. It was detected at Pitsford Reservoir and it is crucial we found the source of the infection as soon as possible.
"We discovered it overnight. We carry out over 1,000 random checks every day across our patch and it was discovered and verified at about 1.30am. Once it was verified it was all systems go.
"Once we have found the source we have to flush the system through and it may take weeks rather than days because it is such a large network."
Anglian Water was able to identify the area affected because it knows the area served by that particular treatment works.
The company immediately began issuing a notice to homes and businesses urging people not to drink tap water.
Ms Nicholls said: "It is a large network concerned - 108,000 properties and about 250,000 people - so it is imperative that we get the message out as quickly as possible regarding notices to boil water.
"It happens rarely but when it does we have to be very careful because health and safety is our main priority. In this case people can use water to wash with but if they are using it to drink, brush their teeth or prepare food they must boil it first.
"There are a number of organisations we had to talk to first such as the Health Protection Agency and we mobilised our own people such as the customer contact centre.
"We updated our website and the quickest way for us to get the message out is through news websites and local radio stations, which we started doing at about 5am.
"A press release went out at about 6am and we had people on the ground in the areas affected using loud speakers to tell people."
The water company is issuing bottled water only to customers on its Watercare register, which includes those suffering from ill health, disabilities or vulnerable people.
Ms Nicholls said it was too soon to give any indication of compensation but said that was something that would be considered in due course.
strong>Click here to read about the bottled water shortage.
Click here to read more about the closure of schools.
Click here to read more about Cryptosporidium.
Click here to read more about how pets could be affected.
Click here to read a Cryptosporidium Q and A.
Click here to read a police warning.
If you affected by the crisis sign-in by clicking the blue Register button or post your comments to here.
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Weather for Kettering
Saturday 11 February 2012
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