United Utilities fined over bug outbreak in water supply

The water company United Utilities has been fined £300,000 over an outbreak of cryptosporidium on affecting hundreds of thousands of people in Lancashire in summer 2015.

The contamination of the drinking water supply affected 300,000 homes and led to UV light rigs being installed to eradicate the microscopic parasite, which can cause upset stomachs.

It said it had learned valuable lessons and had introduced new measures including an automatic shutdown of its water treatment works,

The FTSE-100 company’s share price was unaffected by the fine last night with share prices up 0.41% at 862.50 pence.

The outbreak was found to have been caused by animal waste leaking into an underground tank.

At a previous court hearing, the company admitted supplying water unfit for human consumption after the water supply was affected for three weeks.

People in Blackpool, Chorley, Fylde, Preston, South Ribble and Wyre were affected by the outbreak.