HOUSEHOLDERS have had to boil drinking water in an area of Kent after an e-coli pollution scare.

The health protection agency sent letters out warning people in the Romney Marsh area that low levels of the bacteria had been discovered in the Stocks Reservoir supply.

The letter said the levels were unlikely to cause illness.

People in Brookland, Wittersham, Stone and Appledore are among those affected. Pupils and staff at Brookland primary school drank bottled water until they were given the all clear on Tuesday.

Mollie Fuller, who lives two miles outside Brookland, said: “I didn’t realise until the village market, on Saturday, that we weren’t supposed to drink it, but luckily I didn’t fall ill and we boiled the water for drinks at the market. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Wittersham resident Gill Duff said the news had come as a nasty and sudden shock.

She said: “Lots of people hadn’t received the letter in the first place. I would like compensation for the worry and the fact we’ve had to boil water, and the cost involved.”

According to Mid Kent Water, the problem was solved by Monday evening. Chlorine levels have been increased and the Stocks Reservoir has been taken out of supply.

Managing director Paul Seeley said: “We are grateful to our customers for their patience and understanding during this rare incident. We will carry out a thorough investigation.”

The letter sent to householders from the Kent health protection agency’s clinical director Dr Mathi Chandrakumar, said: “Routine sampling of the reservoir from which your drinking water supply is drawn identified on July 4 two coliforms and two e-coli bacteria each per 100ml.

“A second sample taken on July 5 confirmed these results and samples taken from a customer’s tap also identified two coliforms and two e-coli bacteria each per 100ml.

“A second sample from another customer’s tap showed one coliform and one e-coli bacterium each per 100ml.”