Work to install ultraviolet rigs to help more than 300,000 households in Preston and the surrounding area drink their water once more.
AdvertisementMore than three weeks has past since United Utilities announced a trace of cryptosporidium meant the water was not safe to drink.
All water must be boiled before being drunk, used for brushing your teeth or preparing food.
Plans are now being made for how schools will cope when they resume from early September after the summer break.
Eight UV rigs are being put in place across the water network, with three now in place and operational.
A statement from the water firm said: “We are extremely grateful to all our customers for their continuing patience and cooperation in continuing to boil the water. We recognise how frustrating this has been for you and we are working around the clock to get back to normal.
“The UV technology is being used to kill the last remaining traces of the cryptosporidium bug. The rigs are being set up in locations across our network following a detailed analysis of how the cryptosporidium bug is working its way through the system.
“Installation of the rigs is one of our biggest engineering projects with teams expected to do this in days, something which would normally take months. Rigs and equipment have come from across the UK, Europe and America as part of our efforts to resolve the situation and end the boil water notice.
“These rigs, alongside our flushing and storage reservoir cleaning programme, will bring us a step closer to lifting the boil water notice. This will be done in consultation with a number of agencies across Lancashire and we won’t hesitate to lift certain areas before others if we can. In the meantime, a precautionary advice to boil water remains in place.
“The UV rigs are being installed at service reservoirs (which are vast storage chambers holding the water before it is piped to local homes and businesses) at Warbreck, Weeton, Westby, Whitebull, Haighton and Hoghton.
“We know customers will want things back to normal as quickly as possible and we’re continuing to liaise closely with the Drinking Water Inspectorate and Public Health England, and meeting with them regularly to review the very latest test results.
“We will be compensating all homes and businesses who have been affected by the boil water advice notice, and once this advice is lifted, we will be contacting you.”