According to a report in The Guardian, water companies are struggling to source the necessary chemicals to keep tap water safe. The problem? Several UK labs that tested these chemicals have shut down.
Meanwhile, EU member states are pooling their lab resources, working together to ensure water safety standards remain sky-high. The UK, however, isn’t part of this cross-border cooperation, thanks to its post-Brexit rules. British safety regulations mean these tests can’t be outsourced to overseas labs, leaving the UK in a bit of a pickle—or, in this case, a puddle.
Stuck Between a Rock and a Polluted Place
With domestic testing facilities shutting down and nowhere else to turn, the risk of contaminants seeping into our water supply is growing. Add to that the surge in sewage-laden waterways, and it’s safe to say we’re heading straight up a certain creek without a paddle.
Earlier this year, residents in Devon got a bitter taste of how bad things can get. Parasites found in the local water supply forced thousands to boil their drinking water. Schools and businesses were shut down, people fell ill, and the situation quickly turned into a public health nightmare.
MP Caroline Voaden Weighs In
South Devon’s Liberal Democrat MP, Caroline Voaden, isn’t letting the issue slide. She’s vowed to raise it in Parliament next week, taking aim at those who dismissed water safety concerns during the Brexit debates as mere “project fear.”
“After Brixham’s experience with the water supply earlier this year, these latest developments are of real concern,” Voaden said. “We warned about this—project fear, that was what they said. I’ll be raising this issue with the Minister this week.”
A Soggy Legacy
While the government continues to tout the benefits of Brexit, this latest development highlights yet another area where the UK’s decision to go it alone has left it struggling. For now, keeping the taps running safely is proving to be yet another headache in the post-Brexit hangover.
Let’s just hope Parliament can get its act together before “sovereignty” starts tasting suspiciously like chlorine—or worse.
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