South West Water: You could be owed £15 compensation if your supply is contaminated – here’s how you can check

Britons in parts of South West England could be eligible for compensation after a waterborne parasite was detected in local water systems.

Residents in the Alston and Hillhead areas of Brixham have been urged to boil their drinking water following the detection of cryptosporidium.

Households impacted by the contamination will be compensated with £15, South West Water has confirmed.

The water provider announced on its website: “We are issuing this as a precaution following small traces of the organism identified overnight and this morning.

“We are working with public health partners to urgently investigate the source.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that causes the diarrheal disease cryptosporidiosis.