South China Morning Post
CANADA Stanley Oziewicz in Toronto
December 12, 2000
Shocking revelations are emanating from a public inquiry into North America's most deadly waterborne E. coli outbreak.
At least six deaths and hundreds of serious illnesses are attributed to the contamination of the water supply of Walkerton, a town of 5,000 a few hours by car west of Toronto.
The tragedy has focused much attention on the safety of groundwater in Ontario.
Until then, most Ontarians had taken abundant and clean drinking water for granted.
The disaster occurred in May, but only in the past week have residents learned of the incompetence and deception that contributed to it.
Waterworks foreman Frank Koebel testified at the inquiry that he was unqualified to supervise the water system, was sometimes drunk on the job and together with his brother, Stan Koebel, manager of the public utilities commission, faked tests and falsified records to deceive government inspectors.
Frank Koebel broke down in tears twice during his testimony.
When it became clear that the water supply had become contaminated with E. coli bacteria, the Koebels tried to fix the problem themselves by flushing the system with chlorine and by doctoring water samples to make it look as though the water was free of bacteria.
The deadly strain of E. coli from cattle manure was washed into the water supply by heavy rains.
No sooner had Frank Koebel testified than townspeople learned that his brother, who is under medical care, had negotiated a C$100,000 (HK$515,000) severance package, which includes 100 banked holiday days he will never get to take.
Stan Koebel, 47 is also hoping to avoid testifying. His lawyers have said he is too emotionally unstable to testify.
The inquiry has ordered psychiatric tests to determine whether he is fit to give evidence.
Frank Koebel's testimony angered local residents, but not to the point that they were calling for criminal charges to be laid. There is a general belief that the Koebels had no idea that they were playing with people's lives.
"People in the community realise that in no way did they think it could create the tragedy that it did," said Jim Kroeplin, whose first cousin was struck down by the E. coli bacteria that flooded the town's taps.
Almost no one but the area's medical health officer, who finally sounded the warning and advised townspeople to boil water, knew how deadly E. coli in water could be - not even the government officials responsible for overseeing water safety.
© 2000 South China Morning Post. via Bell&Howell Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
