POISON WATER: BBC DOCUMENTARY TO TELL THE STORY OF ONE OF BRITAIN'S WORST MASS POISONINGS

Poison Water (w/t) is a documentary co-production between Button Down and Keo Films, which tells the true story of one of Britain’s worst mass poisonings.

On a summer afternoon in North Cornwall, 1988, 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate were accidentally poured into the drinking water supply. An estimated 20,000 homes were served a toxic cocktail with aluminium levels up to 3,000 times the EU limit.

As taps ran black, skin blistered and hair changed colour, the public was told it was safe to drink. Little did anyone realise that, years later, questions would still be unanswered about the consequences of consuming that poisoned water, and the actions of those responsible for supplying it.

With Britain’s troubled water networks rarely out of the news, Poison Water rewinds the story of water privatisation to its very beginning. While Margaret Thatcher was preparing to launch her flagship policy in Westminster, in North Cornwall a population was kept in the dark about the nature of the water in their homes.

Exploring accusations of greed and cover-up, Poison Water tells the story of shattered public trust, safety compromised and a community’s search for the truth.

Poison Water 1x90 for BBC Two and iPlayer was commissioned by Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries.