Walkerton Affects Today's Drinking Water System
Fatal E Coli Bacteria Outbreak Results in Clean Water Action
Feb 28, 2009
The water supply to the 5,000 residents of the town of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada became contaminated in May 2000 with E. coli bacteria from farm runoff into a well that was known as a source of contamination.
Many residents began to suffer from bloody diarrhea, gastrointestinal infections and other E. coli symptoms. By the end of the tragedy, at least seven people died directly from drinking the E. coli contaminated water and about 2,500 became ill.
Drinking Water Tainted With E Coli
Initially, food poisoning was the suspected cause and sufferers were advised by doctors to avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water. Several days later, contaminated well water was confirmed as the cause but not before thousands of Walkerton residents continued drinking from the town's water supply.
The tragedy resulted in a government public inquiry, incarceration for those who ran the town’s water supply, a cost to taxpayers of between $64.5 to $155 million (Cdn.) and an intense focus on public policy related to water treatment and emergency response.
All the public inquiries’ recommendations to improve water quality and public health in the Canadian province of Ontario were accepted and have influenced policies across the country.
Drinking Water Quality, Clean Water, Focus of Inquiry
Key recommendations touched on source water protection, the training and certification of operators, a quality management system for water suppliers, and more competent enforcement. Today, in Ontario, these requirements are now law.
The legacy of Walkerton also includes a the Walkerton Clean Water Centre of Excellence located in the town which coordinates training programs in the drinking water field and promotes public education on water quality issues across Ontario. Clean water research and development projects are also part of the Centre’s work.
Walkerton's effects also illustrate the long-term consequences of E. coli. In 2007, a full seven years after the water disaster, town residents were still suffering from health problems. A study lead by the London Health Science Centre in Ontario showed that the incidence of irritable bowel syndrome, with abdominal pain and bouts of diarrhea or constipation, among residents is twice the normal rate.
Water Treatment Systems, Safe Drinking Water Courses
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre notes that more than 2,700 people have taken its specialized courses on such topics as water treatment and safe drinking water.
The tragedy at Walkerton profoundly changed government attitudes and practices about water protection not only in Ontario but across Canada. Ten years later, knowledge about groundwater protection, public awareness about water quality and the importance of effective training and monitoring is the tragedy’s legacy.
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