Camelford case study

What happens when 20 tons of aluminium sulphate is accidentally poured into a water treatment plant?

A mistake in July 1988 saw 20 tonnes of aluminium sulphate added to drinking water in Camelford, Cornwall.

Discovering the cause of the incident, and reacting, called for clear thinking; it's a strong example of how systems thinking can rise to the occasion in a crisis.

Part 1

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Part 2

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Part 3

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Part 4

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Part 5

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Find out more

Creative Commons Image Roger A Smith under CC-BY-SA licence An inspection cover bearing the initials of the South West Water Authority, responsible at the time for Camelford's water supply
• Try a free course extract in systems thinking from the LearningSpace
• Study systems with The Open University
• Sky News: Camelford poisoning timeline
• Hansard: Commons debate on the report into the incident