ABLACKslimygoohasbeenslidingoutoftapsinpeople’skitchensandbathrooms.
Thegunge,describedaslookinglike‘blackworms’,hasbeenfoundhangingofftaps,slidingaroundsinksandslitheringinsidetoiletcisternsintheAlcesterarea.
TheHeraldhasbeentoldthatdespiterepeatedcleaningoftapswithbleach,thegungejustkeepscomingbackandresidentsandbusinessownersaredemandinganswers.
SevernTrenthassaidithashadnoreportsoftheblackslimeandstresseditwasnotawareofanyissueswiththewatersupply.Itbelievesbiofilmcouldbetoblameandhaspromisedtoinvestigate.
AlarmbellsstartedringinginAlcesterwhensimpletaskslikedrinkingaglassofwaterorboilingakettlenowinvolveapre-emptivegoocheck.
Someresidentsvoicedtheirconcernonsocialmediaandaskedifthegooinvasionwasaffectingothers.Whiletheresponseshoweditwasnotwidespreadacrossthetown,theslimedoesappearatanumberofhomesandbusiness–withsomesayingithadbeengoingonforyears.
Alcesterresidents,JohnandSueRoss,saidallthetapsintheirhouseareaffectedbythegungeand,despitetheirbesteffortstodrinkclearwater,theycanendupfindingslimelurkingatthebottomofaglass.
TheysaidtheyhadcontactedSevernTrentWaterbuthadheardback.Theyalsophotographedapieceofblackgoowhichmeasured4cm.
“Thishasbeengoingonforyearsandwearenotsurewhetherthiscouldaffectourhealth,”Johnsaid.“Theyarelikeablackwormorablobbutsometimestheylooklikeastrandofslime.
“It’saregularoccurrenceandeventhoughwedohaveaweeklycleanerandweusewaterfilters,itwillbebackinthekitchenorbathroomafteroneortwodays.”
Thecouple’spostaboutthegootriggered27repliesonsocialmedia.
OnerespondentwasSallyClark,proprietorofTheNailCompanyinAlcesterwhotoldtheHeraldtheslimeatherpremisesnotonlyaffectedthetapsinthebathroombutalsothecustomerandstafftoilet.
“IfIliftthecisternoffthetoiletthere’sathick,blackgoowhichIcanonlydescribeaslookinglikesnot,”Sallysaid.“Itbuildsuponthetapsaswellandeventhoughwe’veusedblocksofbleachtocleanthecistern,itjustkeepscomingbackandwhenyouflushthelooalltheblackresiduegetsdepositedinthetoilet.It’sbeengoingonforyears.
“OurregularcustomersknowaboutthesituationbutforothercustomersIhavetosay‘sorry’andexplaintheproblem.”
TheNailCompanyisnotfarfromHenleyStreetwhereJohnandSuelive.
Otherresponsesonsocialmediaincluded:“AsIcanremember,thishasalwayshappenedsinceIhavelivedinAlcester.”And:“I’veonlybeenhere13yearsbutI’msureit’salwaysbeenthesame.”
ASevernTrentspokespersonsaid:“We’vehadnoreportsfromanyonereportingblackslimeinthewaterandhavealsocheckedthewiderareaandconfirmedthere’snoissueswiththewaterthatwe’reawareof.
“TheappearanceofablackslimeisusuallyanindicationthattheissueisinternalandnotconnectedtotheSevernTrentnetworkasit’slinkedtobiofilm.
“Biofilmiswhenmouldsporesgrowindampenvironmentsandappearonthingsliketapsandshowerheads.
“Thatsaid,althoughthisisaprivateissuewithinthehome,ourteamswouldbemorethanhappytospeaktoanyoneexperiencingthisandinvestigatefullyandsupportbygivingadviceonhowbesttopreventit.”
AlcesterStratford-upon-AvonSimonWoodings
