In the heart of Devon’s picturesque coast, the town of Brixham became the unlikely epicenter of a public health crisis in May 2024 when its water supply was contaminated with the parasite cryptosporidium. The outbreak, which forced up to 16,000 homes and businesses to boil their water for weeks, has now culminated in a legal summons for South West Water, the regional supplier responsible for the area’s drinking water. The company is set to appear before Exeter Magistrates’ Court on October 2, 2025, facing potential prosecution under section 70(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991 for supplying water unfit for human consumption, as reported by BBC and The Guardian.
The events unfolded last spring when routine tests at the Hillhead reservoir revealed the presence of cryptosporidium, a microscopic parasite notorious for causing gastrointestinal illness. Within days, South West Water issued a boil water notice to thousands of residents and local businesses, warning them not to use tap water for drinking unless it had been boiled first. The warning, which would last until July, transformed daily life in Brixham. Cafés, hotels, and restaurants scrambled to adapt, while a local school was forced to close its doors. Holidaymakers—normally a vital source of income for the seaside town—canceled bookings in droves, compounding the economic blow.
The human cost was immediate and severe. According to figures cited by The Guardian, more than 140 people were confirmed to have contracted the diarrhoea-type disease linked to the parasite, suffering from stomach pains, vomiting, and debilitating symptoms that typically lasted around two weeks. Four individuals required hospitalization. The outbreak not only sickened many but also sowed seeds of distrust that would linger long after the boil notice was lifted.
Caroline Voaden, the Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, which includes Brixham, has been a vocal advocate for her constituents throughout the ordeal. She welcomed the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s (DWI) decision to bring South West Water to court, stating, “I am pleased to hear that the Drinking Water Inspectorate has decided to take South West Water to court over the cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham last year. It’s important we find out exactly what South West Water knew, and when, and why they told people the water was safe to drink when it wasn’t.”
Voaden’s concerns reflect the ongoing anxiety in the community. She continued, “Many of my constituents still don’t trust the drinking water and are paying for bottled water more than a year on from the outbreak. This incident affected the whole community, damaged businesses, hurt the local economy, and most importantly, made many people severely ill. It’s taken a long time to get to this point, but finally, we are seeing South West Water brought to account.”
The DWI, the regulatory body overseeing water quality in England and Wales, has taken the incident seriously from the start. Marcus Rink, Chief Inspector of the DWI, explained the rationale behind the prosecution: “The Brixham incident was serious with significant impact on the public and the wider community. Accordingly, I consider it appropriate to pass the matter to the court to consider the evidence in the public interest.” The DWI’s move signals a rare but significant step, as prosecutions of water companies for contamination are uncommon and typically reserved for the most egregious breaches of public trust.
For South West Water, the consequences have already been steep. Company records indicate the outbreak has cost nearly £40 million, a figure reflecting both immediate response efforts—such as distributing bottled water and conducting extensive cleaning—and the longer-term economic toll on the region. The company’s spokesperson responded to news of the summons with a measured tone: “We will reflect on this summons. South West Water has cooperated fully with the Drinking Water Inspectorate from the outset of this incident to help in its investigations. We take this incident extremely seriously, and we will continue to engage fully in response to these legal proceedings. In the meantime, our focus remains on delivering clean safe drinking water to our 2 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, and the Isles of Scilly.”
The legal action centers on section 70(1) of the Water Industry Act 1991, which makes it a criminal offense for a water company to supply water unfit for human consumption. For the residents of Brixham, the case is about more than legal technicalities. It’s about restoring faith in a resource most people take for granted. As one local business owner told BBC, “We lost bookings, we lost income, and we lost trust. People still ask if the water’s safe before they check in.”
The roots of the crisis trace back to the Hillhead reservoir, where the parasite was first detected. While the precise source of the contamination remains under investigation, cryptosporidium is known to be resilient, surviving standard chlorination and requiring more advanced filtration to be reliably removed from water supplies. The outbreak in Brixham is not the first of its kind in the UK, but the scale and duration of the disruption have drawn national attention. The incident has also reignited debate about the robustness of the country’s water infrastructure, the adequacy of regulatory oversight, and the transparency of communications between utilities and the public during emergencies.
For many in Brixham, the legal proceedings promise a chance for answers and, perhaps, closure. The court will be tasked with examining not just the technical failures that led to the contamination, but also the timeline of South West Water’s response. Key questions remain: What did the company know, and when? Why was there a delay in issuing the boil notice? And what steps have been taken to ensure such an incident cannot happen again?
While the company insists it has learned from the crisis and remains committed to public health, the scars in the community are slow to heal. Some residents, wary of official reassurances, continue to rely on bottled water. Others have called for broader reforms, including more rigorous independent testing and greater accountability for water suppliers. The case has also prompted national policymakers to revisit the regulatory framework governing water quality, with some calling for stiffer penalties and more frequent inspections.
As the October court date approaches, all eyes in Brixham—and across the wider region—will be on the outcome. The hearing is expected to be closely watched, not just for its immediate implications for South West Water, but also for the precedent it may set for the water industry as a whole. For now, the people of Brixham are waiting, hoping that the proceedings will finally bring clarity, accountability, and, above all, peace of mind.
The journey from crisis to courtroom has been long and, for many, deeply personal. But as the community gathers itself and looks to the future, there is a cautious optimism that lessons will be learned, and that the water flowing from their taps will once again be a source of trust, not fear.
