Ten years ago the town of Walkerton was devastated when its drinking water became contaminated with a deadly form of E-coli bacteria. The community struggled and ultimately succeeded in restoring its drinking water and finally its reputation as a great place to live and raise a family. This recovery would not have been possible without the tremendous assistance of the people and Government of Ontario, which provided the vital, technical and economic support necessary to rebuild a shattered community.
Today Walkerton has completed the journey from the scene of water infamy to a site of water excellence as it provides training, research and outreach to the rest of the province and beyond. The restoration of Walkerton's drinking water was the first step in our recovery, without which we would have ceased to exist as a viable community.
As Walkerton approaches the tenth anniversary of its water disaster, we ask you to join us in honouring the victims of our community by reaching out to the people of Haiti as they take their first step to recovery by ensuring the provision of safe drinking water in their time of greatest need.
