15 June 2007
A Milton Keynes pensioner suffered extreme skin irritation after her water supply was found to be contaminated with a skin irritant.
June Carter's problems first began when her central heating failed to heat her water supply, leading her to call out a council contractor to fix her boiler, reports local newsite mk-news.co.uk.
The contractor accidentally fitted a pipe containing a dangerous chemical in her open water system instead of her heating system, inadvertently adding molybdenum - which can cause irritation to the eyes and skin - to her water supply.
In addition, Miss Carter's heating supply was still broken, forcing her to have her radiators bled regularly and having to live without hot water for large periods of time.
Though she complained that her water supply had turned a blue-ish colour, she was assured that it had nothing to do with the contractor's repairs as he had not - in his view - touched the water supply.
Within days however, Miss Carter's skin became inflamed. "My face was tingling like I had sunburn," she told mk-news.
"In January we had snow, wind, it was very, very cold and it got into my bones, I shiver even today. I cried and cried."
Thankfully, the council have since installed a new heating system, but have so far refused to accept Miss Carter's medical claims. A spokesperson stated: "We must stress that there was no effect on this lady's drinking water supply and we are unable to comment on her medical claims.
"However, there has clearly been a problem here and we apologise unreservedly to her for the inconvenience, delay and concern she has suffered."
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