Table of Contents
What happened to the water in Walkerton Ontario?
In May 2000, contamination of municipal water by bacterial pathogens in Walkerton, Ontario, resulted in one of the world’s largest outbreaks of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 disease. This was the worst public health disaster involving municipal water in Canadian history.
How did the water in Walkerton get contaminated?
The water supply was contaminated as a result of improper water treatment following heavy rainfall in late April and early May 2000, that had drawn bacteria from the manure of nearby cattle used to fertilize crops into the shallow aquifer of a nearby well.
Is Walkerton water safe now?
Walkerton water declared safe to drink.
Could the Walkerton tragedy have been avoided?
Seven people died and hundreds were made ill from drinking contaminated water in Walkerton, Ont., in 2000. And according to the local medical officer of health, it all could have been prevented.
How was the Walkerton crisis resolved?
The Ontario government has paid out more than $72 million in compensation to victims of Walkerton’s tainted water tragedy and their families.
What was the primary long term health issue that the Walkerton residents who became sick from the water contamination are dealing with?
coli health issues: study. Seven years after Canada’s worst tainted water disaster, in which residents of Walkerton Ont.
What changed after the Walkerton tragedy?
After the Walkerton Tragedy occurred, the Ontario Legislature enacted three key laws intended to implement the multi-barrier approach: the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, Nutrient Management Act, 2002, and Clean Water Act, 2006 (CWA).
What happened to Walkerton water?
In the middle of May 2000, heavy rains swept cow manure off agricultural fields, and harmful bacteria along with it, into a drinking water intake well. Five thousand people in the small community of Walkerton, Ont. drank the contaminated water.
What is the Walkerton Report?
The Walkerton Report, Part One, described events in the community and a series of failures, both human and systemic, that led to contamination of the water supply. The report made recommendations based on the circumstances of the outbreak.
What well draws water for Walkerton?
The wells that drew water for Walkerton were known as Well 5, Well 6, and Well 7, with Well 5 being both the southernmost and the closest to the residential portion of the township.
When did Walkerton become a town?
Although Walkerton was never incorporated as a village, it became a town in 1871, with a population of just under 1000. That increased to 2,604 by 1881, and to 3,061 by 1891 thanks to the arrival of the railroad which enabled the locals to ship their grain. The population dropped to 2,971 by 1901.