A WATER company has put a boil order in place after finding bacteria in samples taken during routine tests at High Shaw Water Treatment Works. 

Yorkshire Water issued a boil order notice on November 4 for customers living in Hawes, Gayle, Appersett and Askrigg (DL8-3) only. 

Until further notice, Yorkshire Water issued the following advice: 

Boil all tap water for: 

  • Drinking 
  • Cleaning teeth 
  • Preparing foods which will be eaten uncooked (such as salads) 

 Tap water should be boiled for a few seconds and stored in clean, covered containers in a cool place for a maximum of 24 hours.  

Water for babies’ feeds should be boiled (and allowed to cool) immediately before use.  

Boiling is sufficient protection, there is no need to use bottled water. 

Tap water can be used for: 

  • Washing  
  • Bathing 
  • Toilet flushing  
  • Washing dishes 
  • Washing clothes 

A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, water quality samples taken on Sunday showed the presence of bacteria in the water. As a result, the boil order remains in place for Hawes, Gayle, Appersett, Askrigg (DL8-3) only.

“Our teams are working hard to investigate the water network, conduct maintenance in the area and carry out samples to try to resolve this issue as soon as possible. We are working closely with UKHSA and the local authority to ensure vulnerable customers are being supported where necessary.

“We understand the inconvenience customers in the area have experienced and we apologise for the disruption. We’d like to thank customers for their understanding and patience and reassure them that we are working hard to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

“Customers can continue to read updates via our website - https://www.yorkshirewater.com/incidents/hawes-dl8/.”