A new documentary, Poison Water, revisits Britain's largest mass poisoning, which occurred in north Cornwall in 1988 when water supplies were contaminated with toxic levels of aluminium sulphate. The film highlights the greed and incompetence that led to the incident and the victims' decades-long fight for justice.
Residents reported water turning blue, black, or gelatinous, accompanied by vomiting, diarrhoea, rashes, and headaches. Authorities initially insisted the water was safe, advising people to mix it with orange squash. It took over two weeks for officials to admit a problem, and many victims suffered long-term health issues, including premature deaths.
The documentary features interviews with affected residents like Carole Wyatt, who demands a public inquiry, and scientist Doug Cross, whose wife died with elevated aluminium levels in her brain. Former minister Michael Howard denies a cover-up, calling it a terrible mistake, but a leaked letter suggests officials feared prosecution would harm water industry privatisation.
Poison Water uses archive footage and new interviews to bring the scandal into the present, drawing parallels with other environmental justice cases. The film is a damning account of institutional failure and the ongoing struggle for accountability.
