Dozens of homes were impacted by the problem

Residents in Lee-on-the-Solent can drink their water again after being urged to boil it for safety reasons.

Bottled water had to be dished out to the public after bacteria was found during a routine test on Sunday (October 18). Around 70 properties were impacted by the problem in Martin Close, Bullfinch Court, Magpie Lane and Chaffinch Way.

The water quality problem in Lee-on-the-Solent has been resolved, after people were were urged to boil it before consumption. | Rui Vieira/PA Wire

placeholder image — The water quality problem in Lee-on-the-Solent has been resolved, after people were were urged to boil it before consumption. | Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Portsmouth Water initially told the public to boil their water before drinking it, using it in cooking, brushing your teeth, washing your dishes or giving it to pets. This was done as a precautionary measure. Engineers have since conducted further examinations since the problem was discovered.

The company has confirmed that the boil water notice has been lifted, and they can now use it as normal. A spokesperson said: “Subsequent water quality tests have come back clear, with no E.coli or coliform bacteria detected, confirming there is no issue with the water supply.

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“Following this extensive testing, we believe the initial positive result was caused by external contamination of the original sample and was not related to the water supply itself.”

Alternative water supplies had to be provided to all four streets affected. Portsmouth Water thanked the public for their co-operation while the situation was resolved.

The spokesperson added: “Providing safe, high-quality drinking water is our highest priority. We know this situation may have caused concern and inconvenience for customers, and we are very grateful for their patience and understanding while we carried out our investigation."