Ontario rattled by water-testing scare
Date: 14-Jun-02
Country: CANADA
Author: Rajiv Sekhri
Ontario's Conservative government, still reeling from a tainted water scandal two years ago in Walkerton, which left seven people dead and made about 2,000 sick, ordered an immediate review late on Wednesday of test results from London, Ontario-based MDS Laboratory Services.
The government said the lab failed to immediately report some adverse water test results for contaminants, including the deadly E. coli bacteria, in nearly 70 cities across southwestern Ontario.
MDS Laboratory Services, an arm of MDS Inc., said it takes "its water testing responsibilities very seriously...Any adverse water results are immediately reported to the appropriate authorities."
Opposition leaders said the government is blaming a private laboratory when it should take responsibility for monitoring the lab's work.
"There's evidence that no one was properly monitoring the water testing. That's the government's job," said Dalton McGuinty, leader of the main opposition Liberal Party.
Chris Stockwell, the province's environment minister, told reporters: "Let's just maintain our composure, put the information out there... and calm their fears."
Ontario's chief medical officer downplayed tainted water concerns.
"I don't think there is a problem with the water. There is no immediate indication that municipal water supplies are tainted," Dr. Colin D'Cunha told local television.
He said that while there is a possibility that some contaminated water may have been missed in the tests done by MDS, the probability "is pretty close to zero".
But community leaders said Ontario's government has not learned its lesson from the Walkerton scandal, where water was contaminated by a deadly strain of E. Coli when a storm washed cow manure into a well, and laboratory and municipal officials failed to warn public health officials.
Critics have severely lambasted the Conservative government for slashing the province's environment ministry and public water testing programs after it came to power in 1995 - factors that were partly blamed for the Walkerton's deadly E. coli outbreak.
"The provincial government shouldn't have to depend on some anonymous tip to keep our drinking water safe," said Leah Casselman, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. "What we need are directly accountable public labs."
MDS shares took a hit yesterday from the controversy, falling 69 Canadian cents, or nearly 3 percent, to C$23.51 A share.
