New analysis has cross referenced city population data with water company performance scores – revealing that 13.2 million people across eight major cities live under a supplier rated ‘High’ or ‘Severe’ for water risk.
The risk, analysed by Aquacool, includes water quality and compliance failures – the worst being South West Water, who have delivered England’s worst discolouration rate every year since 2017.
Nick O’Brien, Managing Director at Aquacool, said: “People assume that tap water is uniform in a country like the UK. They turn on the tap, and expect the same standard wherever they are. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. One in five people in Britain’s biggest cities are on a supplier rated high or severe risk.
“Those in the south west have the most to be concerned about. Bristol’s supplier has the country’s worst discolouration record and just paid the largest fine in UK drinking-water history. Yet it barely makes the news compared to London’s.”
The company are asking for far more local transparency on supplier performance – which will allow people up and down the country to see the standard of water they are receiving.
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