Levels of organisms in water supplies continue to be high, and bottles of water are being distributed to schools and vulnerable people in the area.

Scottish Water say the situation is being monitored on a daily basis and they are working to improve filtration methods at the water plant.

However some residents claim people have been getting ill for months and are accusing the authorities of not doing enough to protect public health.

The boil-water order was issued by Scottish Water and public health consultants at NHS Highland on July 26 after a routine check revealed high level of cryptosporidium in supplies. The organism can cause chronic diarrhoea, sickness and abdominal pain.

One resident who contacted the Ross-shire Journal claimed some people had been showing symptoms of illness since well before the boil water order was issued.

Others were angry at having to pay for bottled water on top of the hefty water charges they already pay.

Barry Hayes, of Kanachrine Place said, "I just feel totally let down by the water company. Joe Public are bearing the brunt of this. It's galling to discover that certain people are getting bottled water while others get none."

Mr Hayes added the health scare had come hot on the heels of earlier problems during the summer, when a burst water main left residents without water for a day.

Hotelier Mark Adams, who runs the town's biggest hotel, the Caledonian, said, "It's been absolutely horrific and Scottish Water have done nothing to help us. Lots of the guests we have staying here are from the older generation, and they are appalled at what is going on. I think this situation has had a very negative impact on the area.

"Scottish Water didn't contact us properly to let us know there was a problem," Mr Adams added. "The first we knew of it was when we got a note through the door.

"We all pay through the nose for water and now we've got to pay for all this extra bottled water. We're bearing losses that just shouldn't have happened. People have said they won't come back to the area because of this."

Ullapool councillor Jean Urquhart said most people had "just been getting on with things" but patience was beginnning to wear thin.

"I think the people of Ullapool have been incredibly tolerant but we really need to be hearing more from Scottish Water about what is happening. This cannot carry on much longer. A way around the whole situation has to be found and measures have to be taken to ensure this does not happen again.

"Not only are people still paying for every pint of water that comes out of the tap, they are also bearing the extra expense of paying for the electricity or gas needed to boil their drinking and cooking water. It is unacceptable for that not to be recognised, and we need to know what action Scottish Water is going to take."

A spokeswoman for NHS Highland said there had been no confirmed cases of cryptosporidium in the Ullapool area.

"The symptoms are chronic diarrhoea for an average of two weeks, abdominal cramps and nausea," she added. "The advice to boil water remains in place. If over the next couple of days the level of cryptosporidium in the water stays below a certain level then it may be possible for the public health department and water authority to remove the notice."

Cryptosporidium is a naturally-occurring organism which is often found at low levels in rural water supplies. Scottish Water investigators are still probing the cause of the increased levels of the bug, but think recent rain following a dry spell has been affecting the source, the River Lael.

Sheila Campbell-Lloyd, Scottish Water's manager for the Highlands, said, "I'm sorry that the boil notice has to remain in place for the time being but protecting our customers' health must be our priority. We totally appreciate that this situation is disruptive but the circumstances are due to natural events. We are looking at ways to improve the filtration at the treatment works but this requires specialist engineering and will take time to put in place."

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