Bristol Water has published an update  on its website explaining about the risks posed by the cryptosporidium parasite in the water supply system and the actions the company has taken in the last five years to tackle  the problem.

In recent years ultrafiltration and UV treatment have emerged as effective means of removing cryptosporidium from drinking water with a 99.99% success rate. Bristol Water has assessed all of its sources and treatment works to identify those at high risk.

Over the past five years the water company has spent millions of pounds installing ultrafiltration membranes at all of its ground water sites at high risk and UV irradiation has been installed at all surface sites, except one. Bristol Water said it planning to fit UV at the site, which is being monitored with rigorous checks run on a daily basis to ensure none of the parasites are in the water - work to install UV due for completion in 2016.

Graham Williams, Director of Water Quality, Bristol Water commented:

 “We take the threat of cryptosporidium to our customers very seriously. Although I can’t say we will never have an outbreak we have done everything we can to ensure we have minimised the risk it doesn’t happen. We also carry out daily checks, on all areas of water quality including cryptosporidium, to ensure our water quality meets some of the highest standards in the world. Bristol Water In 2014 met the drinking water standards for 99.92% of tests performed and none of the tests that breached the standards showed anything hazardous to health”