A POLLUTION incident at the East End Stores in Tavistock last week sparked roadworks and a health warning to shop keepers in the area.
Chemicals have been discovered in the water supplies to three of the newly developed shops at the far end of the pannier market, which were opened by the town council earlier this spring.
Stephen Swain, spokesman for South West Water, said the company was alerted to the problem by shopholders, who complained their tap water tasted strange.
Mr Swain said: ?We checked it out and found there were a high level of what are called hydrocarbons in the samples.
?Although the pipework doesn?t actually belong to South West Water, we have arranged to renew the pipes to these properties.?
Mr Swain said it was difficult to ascertain how the pipes became polluted and the precise chemical constituency of the pollution ? but hydrocarbons were paraffin-type extracts which could have seeped into the water supply over time.
?Any adverse health effects would be highly unlikely, though we have put a ?Do not drink the water? notice as a precaution on the three properties,? said Mr Swain.
Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?It?s coincidental I suppose. The pollution has finally seeped through and of course no-one was really using that particular water supply before, as it was only used for washing down etc. Now people are drinking it, it?s come to light.
?Apparently some modern pipes are prone to allowing certain things to seep through. It?s a shame, we?ve just spent £8,000 re-tarmacing it and it was looking really nice. I have to say they are doing a jolly good job though, they are minimising the disturbance, we haven?t had to close the road and they are trying to repair it very sympathetically.?
The work to replace the pipes was due to be completed early this week.