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Water company threatens to cut off farm's supply

Cameron Weldon
BBC News, South West
BBC A lady stood in a grassy field alongside three Highland cows. She is dressed in a yellow cardigan, a blue scarf, navy trousers and green wellington boots. She is holding grass in one hand and a piece of fencing in the other. There is more fields in the background and a small lane in the distance. BBC
Irene Parker said she was left worried and angry about the situation

A Cornish farmer is worried for the welfare of her herd of Highland cows after a water company threatened to cut her farm's supply, she says.

Irene Parker, 70, who has farmed on her 40-acre (16-hectare) farm near Stithians for 35 years, said she received a letter from South West Water saying her supply would be shut off due to an unpaid bill.

Ms Parker said she "received a threatening letter, but no bill" and was originally told she was in credit with the utility.

South West Water said Source for Business, part of the owning Pennon Group which deals with business customers, had contacted Ms Parker to "understand her concerns with a view to resolving the situation as quickly as possible".

A woman dressed in a yellow sweater reaching out toward a brown coloured Highland cow in a grassy field. The cow has long, shaggy fur and large curved horns. There are several other Highland cows in the background.
Ms Parker said the cows give her "immense pleasure" and a "reason to get up in the morning"

Ms Parker said she received a letter "out of the blue" from Source for Business saying it would cut her water off.

She said: "I was worried as the letter took 10 days to get to me and it said it would cut it off in seven days."

She added it was "alarming" as her cows had calves and "drink a lot of water."

Ms Parker said she expected the supply to be turned off at any moment but it never was, fortunately.

She added that the water company told her it had found her credit but did not apologise or confirm whether or not the supply would be cut.

A group of Highland cattle in a grassy field. They are all looking towards the camera. Amongst the group are some young calves.
Ms Parker has owned her herd of 13 highland cows since 2019, which she farms for showing, rewilding and sustainable farming

The water supply was installed into one of the farm's fields in July 2024.

Ms Parker said that someone from South West Water came to read her meter on 4 April, but was shocked when the company disputed that had happened.

She said: "It wasn't even my fault. I'd take it on the chin if it had been.

"They said nobody came to read the meter and that's simply not true."

In a statement, South West Water "apologised for the stress caused" to Ms Parker.

It said it "initially dealt with the matter" but it was now being handled by Source for Business, which was the new retailer of the farm's supply.

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