Fylde MP Mark Menzies has called on the Government to ensure an investigation into a Lancashire water crisis remains on track.



The Member of Parliament has written to the Secretary of State at the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP, to ask her to intervene after long delays in seeing the results of the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s inquiry following last summer’s cryptosporidium outbreak.

It comes after Mr Menzies contacted the organisation to find out the status of the investigation but was rebuffed by officers.

He said: “This situation has gone on for long enough and people are unhappy at being left in the dark about a situation which caused untold inconvenience last summer.

“When I contacted the Drinking Water Inspectorate for some information I received a rather blunt response that they would publish their findings when they are good and ready.

“I’m afraid that’s just not good enough. This process needs to be open and transparent to give people the confidence they can trust their suppliers and the regulators put in place to protect their interests.

“With that in mind, I have written to the Secretary of State to ask her to intervene. While I understand the investigation must be carried out thoroughly and correctly, I think people deserve to know that is happening and be given some kind of timescales as to when they can expect answers.

“Without those assurances, then it is difficult to know whether the Drinking Water Inspectorate is working effectively and whether it is fit for purpose.”