THE company that supplies much of Thurrock with its water has spoken of its confidence that the local supply does not present any health risk to users.

Concern was raised, particularly in the east of the borough and in Stanford-le-Hope after a Facebook post speculated that there was a problem.

That provoked a frenzy of comments on social media with many stories, apocryphal or otherwise, of purported issues with supply and related medical conditions.

That prompted the provider, Essex and Suffolk Water, to launch an immediate check on supplies but they are confident the water is safe.

Joanna Wilkins, Water Quality Manager at Essex & Suffolk Water, said: "We are working closely with a handful of customers from the Stanford-le-Hope area, following reports of skin irritation.

"Essex & Suffolk Water monitors the water quality at every stage of its journey to customer taps to ensure it is clear, great tasting and safe to drink.

"Following the reports and as a precaution to help give customer reassurance, a sample of the of water supplying Stanford-le-Hope was tested in our laboratory and the results came back as normal, complying with the strict regulations required of us.

"Sometimes, the water we provide can come from different sources, like rivers, reservoirs and groundwater however, we can confirm there have been no recent changes to the source of the water supplying this area.

"Customers should seek medical advice for any concerns they may have about skin irritation and the possible causes of it.

"For more information and answers on commonly asked water quality questions, customers can visit our website."