Walkerton, Ontario E. coli Outbreak Public Inquiry Announced (2000)

On May 17, 2000 the small town of Walkerton, Ontario began to experience the first signs of an E. coli outbreak. The outbreak resulted from the contamination of the community's well water. By the end of the crisis, six people had died as a result (according to Ontario's Coroner's Office; according to the final report of the public inquiry the total number of deaths was seven) and more than 23-hundred had fallen ill. On May 31, 2000, with people still falling ill and after initially resisting the idea of a public inquiry, the Ontario government under Premier Mike Harris announced it would launch such an inquiry. This report aired the day of that announcement on CBC Television's The National newscast.

[@timetojump]

Dang, that's a shame

[@ellaw356]

There are alot of people still living or have passed bc the complications it caused. So sad .

[@michaelmacdonald3403]

This was a dark time