'Dirty Business' Drama: A Mother's Fight for Safer Waters

A powerful new Channel 4 drama, Dirty Business, is set to shine a harsh spotlight on the devastating impact of water pollution in the UK. The three-part series dramatises the tragic story of an eight-year-old girl who died from E. coli poisoning after playing on a beach contaminated by sewage, igniting a mother's fervent hope that the show will finally spur action within the water industry.

A Family's Anguish and a Plea for Change

Julie Maughan, the mother of Heather Preen, who tragically passed away in 1999, has spoken out about her decision to allow her family's deeply personal and painful experience to be portrayed on screen. Heather fell ill during a family holiday in Dawlish, Devon, after playing on a beach with a sewage outfall. Doctors later confirmed she had contracted a particularly virulent strain of E. coli O157. Despite intensive hospital treatment, Heather died just two weeks later, leaving her family shattered.

“Something needs to change [in the water industry]. They forgot about Heather,” Maughan stated, her voice a mix of sorrow and steely resolve. Her husband, Mark Preen, and their two daughters were on holiday when the tragedy struck. “We went away as a family of four and we’ve come back as a family of three,” Maughan recounted, her words underscoring the profound and permanent loss. “We can’t have any more children being hurt. There should be no more Heathers. But there should be no reason why we can’t go in the water any more.”

The Power of Television to Drive Reform

The creators of Dirty Business are openly aiming for the drama to have a similar societal impact to Mr Bates vs The Post Office, which brought the Horizon IT scandal to national attention and led to significant reform. It is this potential for widespread impact that motivated Maughan to collaborate with the drama's makers.

Maughan’s resolve was further strengthened by recent events, such as the warnings issued to rowers participating in the Boat Race on the River Thames due to its poor water quality. “It was like, ‘Don’t go in the water, any cuts, cover them up, don’t throw the man in the river.’ I [thought I] can’t watch this because potentially somebody could die,” she explained, highlighting the pervasive nature of water contamination risks.

A Deeply Personal Narrative

The drama, written and directed by Joseph Bullman, known for his work on Partygate, promises to be a sensitive yet unflinching depiction of Heather's illness, death, and the subsequent aftermath. Heather's sister, Suzanne, has been a staunch supporter of the project, sharing her mother's conviction. “She thinks the same as us, ‘you’ve got to do it for Heather’,” Maughan said.

Maughan fondly remembers Heather as a “really fun-loving girl” with a passion for Barbie and the colour pink. She contrasted Heather’s vibrant personality with Suzanne’s more serious nature, describing Heather as the family's “little spark” and the “mad hatter.” The loss of that spark, Maughan revealed, left a gaping wound. “And to lose that spark, Mark and I fell apart. And how Suzanne survived it, I don’t know. I really, really don’t know. Because she lost her best friend.”

The Brutal Reality of E. coli Poisoning

The medical reality of Heather's death was harrowing. Maughan described the effects of the shiga toxins produced by E. coli O157 as being “basically liquified from the inside out.” The pathogen “destroyed her gut, her kidneys and her brainstem,” leading to what her mother described as “a horrific and painful death.”

The inquest in 2000 returned a verdict of “death by misadventure,” a finding Maughan believes clearly indicates that Heather did not die from natural causes. She also expressed frustration with South West Water's response at the time, noting the company's refusal to accept culpability.

Water Company Accountability and Public Outcry

“The actual outbreak, they put it down to dog faeces,” Maughan recalled, highlighting the company's attempts to deflect blame from the sewage outfall. She stressed that her motivation was never financial gain but a deep-seated need for accountability and change. “I didn’t want any money. I just wanted them to admit what they did,” she stated.

As Dirty Business prepares to air, there is a palpable sense of anticipation and a fervent hope that it will not only commemorate Heather's life but also serve as a powerful catalyst for significant improvements in the UK's water quality. The drama's success could pave the way for greater accountability from water companies and ultimately lead to safer environments for families to enjoy.