Water Contamination
& Health Effects
Crisis
Hinkley
Groundwater
Contamination
Who?
Erin Brockovich: advocated for the environment and health and safety of the town
PG & E: the company that initiated the groundwater pollution
Hinkley residents
How?
Pollutants seeped into water
after being dumped into
unlined ponds at the utility
company's compress station
What?
Groundwater in Hinkley was contaminated by chromium 6
Chromium 6: a cancer-causing heavy metal
Where?
Hinkley, a small farming community
When?
1950s - 1990
first dump - contamination discovery
Why?
Pacific Gas & Electric Company
dumped 1,400 liters of chromium-tainted waste waster
Walkerton E. Coli
Water Outbreak
Why?
Water treatment was conducted improperly after heavy rain fall from April to May
Walkerton's water operators did not receive formal training for their jobs
Who?
Stan and Frank Koebel, Walkerton Public Utilities Commission operators
Citizens of Walkerton: seven individuals died, hundreds infected by contaminated water
What?
Bacterial contamination of municipal water
E. Coli: anaerobic bacteria found in the outdoor environment, animal and human intestines and food
How?
Bacteria from cattle manure was drawn into a shallow aquifer of a nearby well
Where?
Walkerton, Ontario
(Bruce County)
When?
May, 2000
Consequences
Short Term
Degraded quality of
water pipes and systems
Lost jobs
Poor quality drinking water
Scarce water supply
Long Term
Research
Health
Increased number of
self-reported arthritis cases
Increased chance of developing bowel cancer
Diabetes
Seizures
Brain damage
Kidney failure
(hemolytic
uremic) syndrome
Death
High blood pressure
Environmental
Unwanted waste products and pollutants can sink into sediments, impacting large coastal areas
Countless years of finding a solution and preventative methods regarding water contamination
Fish and other oceanic wildlife consume waste products and pollutants
Chemistry
Factory Waste Products
Waterborne pathogens produce toxins which cause acute poisoning, immune system suppression and reproductive failure
Biology
Contamination & Cancer
E. Coli enters the blood stream, body systems
Body has inflammatory
response and increased
possibility of sepsis
Chromium enters the blood stream and causes oxidation reactions with the blood cells
Leads to hemolysis and
liver and kidney failure
Subtopic