Water bosses hand out £20 compensation

Water bosses have re-opened the old wound over compensation for Lancashire's cryptosporidium outbreak last year.
Charity workers distributed bottled water during the cryptosporidium crisisCharity workers distributed bottled water during the cryptosporidium crisis
Charity workers distributed bottled water during the cryptosporidium crisis

Consumers affected by a boil water notice in parts of Greater Manchester for less than three days this week have been given £20 payouts - just £40 less than customers in the Fylde Coast, Preston, South Ribble and Chorley areas received for a entire month without supplies in 2015.

Supplies in Tameside and Oldham were affected due to a problem at a water treatment plant.

Residents were advised to boil all water, or use bottled.

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United Utilities announced all 17,000 households affected would get £20.

The level of payments made to 300,000 consumers in Lancashire in 2015 - £50 to £60 - sparked wholesale protests by consumers at the time.

A United Utilities spokesman said it had worked with water watchdog, the Consumer Council for Water, to set “the right figure to fairly reflect loss of service and inconvenience caused.”