Last year, a fishing village in Devon was rocked by a parasite outbreak that left more than 100 residents sick. Around 16,000 households and businesses in Brixham and nearby areas were issued a boil notice by South West Water after cryptosporidium was found in the Hillhead reservoir in May 2024, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
The outbreak had a huge impact on businesses, the economy, and people’s health, according to the Liberal Democrat MP for South Devon, Caroline Voaden. During the outbreak, business owners in Brixham said they had seen a drop in footfall and wanted SWW to help restore confidence in the water locally. So, this summer, I visited the small fishing town while touring a few Devon seaside areas, and I have to say, Brixham was one of my favourites.
Places along the coast in Devon all have their own personalities, with posh Salcombe and Dartmouth, vibrant and busy Torquay, but Brixham sat somewhere perfectly in the middle for me.
You can tell it is very much still a working fishing port, and a buzz hummed through the streets in the morning as boats brought in their catch.
There were plenty of quaint cafes, it was quiet, the locals were friendly, and the views of the colourful harbour and houses climbing up the green hills were so quintessentially English.
If you’re looking for a traditionally British seaside town, without the hum of arcades, I’d say this hits the nail on the head.
It felt slow-paced and relaxing, but without the boujee elements that normally come with it. I would return in a heartbeat for that small-town feel, the views, and the lack of crowds—just maybe with bottled water.
On September 6 this year, SWW was issued a court summons over the outbreak, based on legislation that makes it a criminal offence for a water company to supply water unfit for human consumption.
In a statement, South West Water said: “We take this incident extremely seriously, and we will continue to engage fully in response to these legal proceedings.
“In the meantime, our focus remains on delivering clean, safe, drinking water to our two million customers across Cornwall, Devon, and the Isles of Scilly.”
Ms Voaden noted that this could mark South West Water’s “finally” being held accountable. The SWW water case is scheduled to be heard on October 2 at Exeter Magistrates’ Court.