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E. coli Beach Death: Mother Seeks Justice 25 Years Later
18 Feb
Summary
- Heather Preen died aged eight from E. coli O157 contracted on a Devon beach.
- A Channel 4 drama highlights illegal sewage dumping by water companies.
- Her mother seeks accountability, stating E. coli is more than just sickness.
In 1999, eight-year-old Heather Preen died within two weeks of contracting E. coli O157 on a Devon beach, a tragedy her mother, Julie Maughan, is still seeking justice for. The Channel 4 drama "Dirty Business" now dramatizes this and similar incidents, aiming to ignite public anger over widespread raw sewage dumping by English water companies.
Heather contracted the pathogen while on holiday with her family in Dawlish Warren. Despite complaints to the Environment Agency prior to their visit, the exact source of the E. coli outbreak remained unconfirmed at an inquest, with a verdict of misadventure returned.
The drama explores how privatization of the water industry in 1989 and subsequent deregulation led to billions in profits for water companies. This resulted in a policy of flushing untreated sewage into waterways, with companies dumping raw sewage for 3.61 million hours in 2024 alone.
Maughan, who has spent years fundraising for research and campaigning, hopes the drama will force meaningful change. She stresses that E. coli is not simply a cause of sickness but can lead to life-threatening conditions like HUS, emphasizing the critical need for public health over profit in the water industry.
