FOLLOWING concern over the condition of tap water in many homes in the west of the borough, with residents in Aveley, Purfleet, Grays and South Ockendon all taking to social media to express concern, Thurrock Nub News has been looking into the situation.

And we have been informed that while the water appears to be discoloured, the issue is not contamination – it is caused by tiny air bubbles and the water is safe.

A spokesperson for Essex & Suffolk Water told Nub News: "Occasionally, customers can find that their drinking water has a cloudy appearance - sometimes described as milky or bubbly. This is caused by tiny air bubbles in the water known as aeration, which is harmless and safe to drink.

"Aeration typically happens in winter months when water temperatures are colder, because the air is more soluble in colder water.

"For customers in areas such as Purfleet, Aveley, Grays and South Ockendon, water comes from our Herongate reservoir where we are seeing water temperatures of around three to five degrees. When this cold water reaches homes it warms up, causing air bubbles.

"Lagging hot and cold water pipes in your home should prevent this from happening. As well as reducing aeration, lagging can also prevent pipe bursts in the winter months.

"We advise customers to leave the water to stand and the air will clear.

"Simply running your taps for a few minutes should solve the problem in most cases too – but if you do need to run the taps, please do not waste the water. Instead, this can be collected and used to water plants."