Complaints about foul smelling tap water from residents in Walthamstow, Chingford and other parts of north east London, have led Thames Water's investigators, to find traces of the chemicals, 2-EDD and 2-EMD, in their Walthamstow water works.
The water company has confirmed that traces of chemicals — which are believed to eminate from the River Lea — are responsible for the strange smell and taste in drinking water in the borough.
Thames Water says it has no reason to believe there is a "significant risk" to public health, and that it was as of yet unknown how the chemicals — which occur as a by-product of manufacturing — came to be in water.
Bob Collington, Director of operational management for Thames Water, said: "Although the levels found in water from our Walthamstow water treatment works have been enough for a small number of customers to notice and report an unusual smell, based on all the information we have seen to date we have no reason to believe that there is a significant risk to public health.
“We’ve made several adjustments to the treatment processes at our Walthamstow water works. Having now found the cause of the problem, we will be further adjusting our treatment processes to remove the substances from customers’ water.”
Thames water has reportedly stopped sourcing water from the River Lee, and have instead been taking it from the River Thames.
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