People 'coping' with bug concerns

Local people, firms and supermarkets appear to be coping well with fears over contamination of water supplies.

But some people in Northamptonshire are angry at the lack of information from Anglian Water, to boil water before using it.

Anglian Water has said it has been working since the contamination was discovered to inform people about the sickness bug cryptosporidium.

Some residents were annoyed they were not informed directly by Anglian Water.

Sam Hudspeth, 21, who lives on Tennyson Road, Daventry, said: "We have not had anyone from the water board telephone or call round or anything.

We have seen a slight increase in sales [of bottled water] but people appear to be being quite adult about this

Asda spokesman

"We have a baby so we are used to having to boil water anyway but it's annoying having to boil it every time we want a drink."

Supermarkets are organising extra deliveries of bottled water to stores today as customers react to the contamination alert.

Stores said they were dealing with "significantly" increased demand as customers responded to news that concerns over the contamination could last for weeks.

At Tesco in Daventry, customers have been limited to eight bottles each.

A spokesman said: "We are getting extra deliveries. Customers can be reassured that there is no supply problem."

An Asda spokesman said: "We have seen a slight increase in sales but people appear to be being quite adult about this."

'Increased demand'

Sainsbury's, which has 12 stores in the area, said it was working to meet demand.

A spokeswoman said: "There has been an increase in the demand for water. We're putting on extra deliveries [in response]."

Waitrose said it was "coping with increased demand" and organising extra deliveries.

Northampton-based Carlsberg brewery, which produces 226m pints (100m litres) of lager and beer a day, said the firm had turned off mains water supplies.

The company is working with Anglian Water and environmental health officers on tests and monitoring supplies.

"All our products go through a pasteurisation process which kills of parasites and bugs," a spokesman said.