 In 1976, they purchased a borehole outside Sawston to deal with rising demand.In 1980, a European Directive was issued requiring nations of the European Community to establish standards on the presence of perchloroethene (PCE) in water, which the United Kingdom did in 1982.It was found that the Sawston borehole was contaminated with PCE that had originated in a tannery owned by Eastern Counties Leather.