Walkerton Tragedy
Encyclopedia
The Walkerton Tragedy is a series of events that accompanied the contamination of the water supply of Walkerton, Ontario
, Canada
, by E. coli bacteria in May 2000.
is a relatively small community located in Ontario. The water supply for the town of Walkerton was operated by the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission, with Stan Koebel as manager and Frank Koebel as water foreman. Neither had any formal training in their position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience. The water supply became contaminated with the highly dangerous O157:H7
strain of E. coli
bacteria, from farm runoff into an adjacent well that was known for years to be vulnerable to contamination.
Starting May 15, 2000, many residents of the town of about 5,000 began to simultaneously experience blue diarrhea
, gastrointestinal infections and other symptoms of E. coli infection. For days the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission insisted the water supply was "OK" despite being in possession of laboratory tests that had found evidence of contamination. On May 21, an escalation in the number of patients with similar symptoms finally spurred the region's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mughees Omar Alam McQuigge, to issue a boil water advisory
, warning residents not to drink the water.
At least seven people died directly from drinking the E. coli contaminated water, who might have been saved if the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission had admitted to contaminated water sooner, and about 2,500 became ill.
The CBC news noted:
During the time of the tragedy
, both Stan and Frank Koebel denied any wrongdoing and firmly held that the water at Walkerton was safe to drink. However, as the tragedy grew in severity the two were eventually part of the criminal investigation into the tragedy, and, as a result, both would eventually plead guilty to a charge of common nuisance through a plea bargain
. In their plea, they admitted to falsifying reports and Frank admitted to drinking on the job, though a beer fridge did exist at the facility.
They were both formally sentenced on December 21, 2004, with Stan receiving one year in jail and Frank Koebel nine months of house arrest. Reaction to their sentencing was mixed.
was put in charge of the cleanup of Walkerton's water system.
An inquiry, known as the Walkerton Commission led by Court of Appeal for Ontario Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor
, reported in 2002. Part 1 was released in January 2002. It estimated that the Walkerton water tragedy cost a minimum of $64.5-155 million CAD
and laid much of the blame at the door of the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission.
From the report:
The Walkerton Public Utilities Commission operators engaged in a host of improper operating practices, including failing to use adequate doses of chlorine
, failing to monitor chlorine residuals daily, making false entries about residuals in daily operating records, and misstating the locations at which microbiological samples were taken. The operators knew that these practices were unacceptable and contrary to Ministry of Environment
guidelines and directives.
The Ontario government was also blamed for not regulating water quality and not enforcing the guidelines that had been in place. The water testing had been privatized in 1996. CBC report)
Part 2 of the report made many recommendations for improving the quality of water and public health in Ontario. All of its recommendations have been accepted by succeeding governments of the province. The recommendations have also influenced provincial policies across Canada. Over $70 million dollars was invested in claiming the residents, but also fixing the water sources
Key recommendations touched on source water protection
as part of a comprehensive multi-barrier approach
, the training and certification of operators, a quality management system for water suppliers, and more competent enforcement. In Ontario, these requirements have been incorporated into new legislation.
For an in-depth account of the tragedy, see Well of Lies: The Walkerton Water Tragedy (McClelland & Stewart 2002) by Colin N. Perkel.
The many lessons learned from this incident were described by Kim Vicente
in his book The Human Factor
.
A 2005 CBC Television
docu-drama called Betrayed was based loosely upon the Walkerton tragedy.
In 2001 a similar outbreak in North Battleford, Saskatchewan
caused by the protozoan Cryptosporidium
affected at least 5,800 people.
Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, by E. coli bacteria in May 2000.
Summary
WalkertonWalkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
is a relatively small community located in Ontario. The water supply for the town of Walkerton was operated by the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission, with Stan Koebel as manager and Frank Koebel as water foreman. Neither had any formal training in their position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience. The water supply became contaminated with the highly dangerous O157:H7
Escherichia coli O157:H7
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an enterohemorrhagic strain of the bacterium Escherichia coli and a cause of foodborne illness. Infection often leads to hemorrhagic diarrhea, and occasionally to kidney failure, especially in young children and elderly persons...
strain of E. coli
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
bacteria, from farm runoff into an adjacent well that was known for years to be vulnerable to contamination.
Starting May 15, 2000, many residents of the town of about 5,000 began to simultaneously experience blue diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, gastrointestinal infections and other symptoms of E. coli infection. For days the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission insisted the water supply was "OK" despite being in possession of laboratory tests that had found evidence of contamination. On May 21, an escalation in the number of patients with similar symptoms finally spurred the region's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Mughees Omar Alam McQuigge, to issue a boil water advisory
Boil water advisory
A boil-water advisory or boil-water order is a public health advisory or directive given by government or health authorities to communities when a community's drinking water is, or could be, contaminated by pathogens....
, warning residents not to drink the water.
At least seven people died directly from drinking the E. coli contaminated water, who might have been saved if the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission had admitted to contaminated water sooner, and about 2,500 became ill.
The CBC news noted:
Premier Harris immediately blamed the former NDP government for loosening water standards. Within a week he had announced public inquiry that wound up laying part of the blame for the Walkerton disaster on cutbacks ordered by the Harris government.
During the time of the tragedy
Tragedy (event)
A tragedy is an event in which one or more losses, usually of human life, occurs that is viewed as mournful. Such an event is said to be tragic....
, both Stan and Frank Koebel denied any wrongdoing and firmly held that the water at Walkerton was safe to drink. However, as the tragedy grew in severity the two were eventually part of the criminal investigation into the tragedy, and, as a result, both would eventually plead guilty to a charge of common nuisance through a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
. In their plea, they admitted to falsifying reports and Frank admitted to drinking on the job, though a beer fridge did exist at the facility.
They were both formally sentenced on December 21, 2004, with Stan receiving one year in jail and Frank Koebel nine months of house arrest. Reaction to their sentencing was mixed.
Aftermath
The Ontario Clean Water AgencyOntario Clean Water Agency
The Ontario Clean Water Agency is a Crown agency of the Province of Ontario that provides operation, maintenance and management services for more than 450 water and wastewater treatment facilities in the province.-History:...
was put in charge of the cleanup of Walkerton's water system.
An inquiry, known as the Walkerton Commission led by Court of Appeal for Ontario Associate Chief Justice Dennis O'Connor
Dennis O'Connor
Dennis O'Connor may refer to:* Dennis O'Connor * J. Dennis O'Connor, Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh* Dennis O'Connor * Dennis O'Connor in The Park Is Mine -See also:...
, reported in 2002. Part 1 was released in January 2002. It estimated that the Walkerton water tragedy cost a minimum of $64.5-155 million CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
and laid much of the blame at the door of the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission.
From the report:
The Walkerton Public Utilities Commission operators engaged in a host of improper operating practices, including failing to use adequate doses of chlorine
Chlorine
Chlorine is the chemical element with atomic number 17 and symbol Cl. It is the second lightest halogen, found in the periodic table in group 17. The element forms diatomic molecules under standard conditions, called dichlorine...
, failing to monitor chlorine residuals daily, making false entries about residuals in daily operating records, and misstating the locations at which microbiological samples were taken. The operators knew that these practices were unacceptable and contrary to Ministry of Environment
Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)
The Ministry of the Environment, established in 1972, is the portfolio in the Executive Council of Ontario responsible for addressing the environmental issues affecting the environmental protection of the Canadian province of Ontario and the World...
guidelines and directives.
The Ontario government was also blamed for not regulating water quality and not enforcing the guidelines that had been in place. The water testing had been privatized in 1996. CBC report)
Part 2 of the report made many recommendations for improving the quality of water and public health in Ontario. All of its recommendations have been accepted by succeeding governments of the province. The recommendations have also influenced provincial policies across Canada. Over $70 million dollars was invested in claiming the residents, but also fixing the water sources
Key recommendations touched on source water protection
Source water protection
Source Water Protection refers to the concept of protecting source water from overuse and contamination....
as part of a comprehensive multi-barrier approach
Multi-barrier approach
The Multi-barrier approach is a key paradigm for ensuring safe drinking water in jurisdictions such as Ontario, elsewhere in Canada, and New Zealand...
, the training and certification of operators, a quality management system for water suppliers, and more competent enforcement. In Ontario, these requirements have been incorporated into new legislation.
For an in-depth account of the tragedy, see Well of Lies: The Walkerton Water Tragedy (McClelland & Stewart 2002) by Colin N. Perkel.
The many lessons learned from this incident were described by Kim Vicente
Kim Vicente
Kim Vicente is a professor of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto. He is researcher, teacher, and author in the field of human factors. He is best known for his two books: The Human Factor and Cognitive Work Analysis....
in his book The Human Factor
The Human Factor (book)
The Human Factor: Revolutionizing the Way People Live with Technology is the title of a book by Kim Vicente that Routledge published in 2004. Vicente asserts technology in such constructs as hospitals, airplanes, and nuclear power plants have significant room for improvement...
.
A 2005 CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
docu-drama called Betrayed was based loosely upon the Walkerton tragedy.
In 2001 a similar outbreak in North Battleford, Saskatchewan
North Battleford, Saskatchewan
In the late 2000s a large number of Ruthenians have emigrated to Canada, concentrating in North Battleford.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Battlefords area was home to several aboriginal groups...
caused by the protozoan Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with diarrhea in humans.Cryptosporidium is the organism most commonly isolated in HIV positive patients presenting with diarrhea...
affected at least 5,800 people.
External links
- Contamination: The Poisonous Legacy of Ontario's Environmental Cutbacks. History and context of the tragedy.
- Background article from the CBCCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
- Water Science and Technology article
- CBC Digital Archives - Death on tap: The poisoning of Walkerton
- The Walkerton Commission Reports
- Genetic Risk Markers for IBS Found in Walkerton Study, Toronto StarToronto StarThe Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
, January 28, 2010. - Genetic Risk Factors for Post-Infectious Irritable Bowel Syndrome Following a Waterborne Outbreak of Gastroenteritis, Gastroenterology, March 2010.