Timeline of Events
May
3-9, 2002
Well 7 operates without a chlorinator.
May
8-12, 2002
Heavy rainfalls in Walkerton.
May
12, 2002
Rainfall causes flooding, enabling E-Coli to enter the Walkerton system
through well five.
May
15, 2002
Samples from the water system sent to laboratory for microbiological analysis.
May
17, 2002
Stan Koebel receives test results that confirm the presence of E-Coli in the
water system.
May
18, 2002
First symptoms of outbreak emerge. Two children admitted to hospital, 20
children absent from school.
May
19 and 20, 2002
Bruce Owen Grey Sound Health Unit contacted the Walkerton PUC to ask about the
quality of the water. Stan Koebel says water is safe.
May
21, 2002
Health unit issues boil water advisory as precautionary measure. Some residents
were not aware of the boiling advisory because it was not widely disseminated.
May
22, 2002
Ministry of Environment (MOE) initiates an investigation of the Walkerton water
system. PUC operators falsify operation records to conceal that the system had
operated without chlorination.
May
23, 2002
Health unit receives water samples that confirm the presence of E-Coli in the
Walkerton water supply. Stan Koebel admits to Health authorities that the water
samples from May 15 were contaminated with E-Coli.