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'Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am...'

Broadcast Date: Dec. 19, 2000

On Oct. 16, 2000, the Walkerton Public Inquiry began. Over the next ten months, Justice Dennis O'Connor would hear from doctors, scientists, politicians and the premier himself. But the testimony that many people were waiting to hear is that of Stan Koebel, the former Walkerton Public Utilities Manager. As heard in this CBC Radio report, Koebel offers a grave apology and makes some stunning admissions when he takes the stand at the inquiry.

Koebel admits to falsifying records, faking water sample tests and running a well without a chlorinator. He also admits that he was unqualified for the job and had no idea that E. coli was virulently dangerous. In Walkerton, many residents have defended Koebel as a guileless scapegoat who took the brunt of the blame to protect provincial officials. But others have long vilified the former PUC manager as definitively incompetent and dangerously negligent.

'Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am...'

• Over the course of his three day testimony, Koebel also revealed that he had habitually falsified tests and provincial water safety reports for 20 years.

• "Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am, and how bad I feel about the events leading up to, and including, the last seven months. I accept responsibility for my actions. I am one of the pieces of the puzzle that came together in May, and I am grateful for this opportunity to speak." — Stan Koebel's opening statements to the Walkerton Inquiry, Dec. 17, 2000

• Stan Koebel's younger brother Frank also worked at the PUC as the water foreman. Frank Koebel took the stand on Dec. 6 and 7, 2000, and also made the shocking confessions of drinking on the job, falsifying records and faking test results, as heard in this CBC Radio report.
• It was also revealed during the Koebels' testimony that the brothers had been trained and promoted without having taken courses or examinations.

• On Nov. 17, 2000, Stan Koebel resigned from his job at the PUC. As heard in this CBC Radio report, Koebel received a $98,000 severance package which dismayed many Walkerton residents.


• After some legal wrangling, Koebel agreed to accept a reduced severance of $48,000.
• The Toronto Star later ran an editorial cartoon of Koebel holding a cheque and dancing on a grave bearing seven crosses.

• Ontario premier Mike Harris was the 107th witness to be called at the Walkerton Inquiry, as heard in this CBC report. He was the first premier in Ontario to be called before a judicial inquiry in over a half century. Harris was grilled about slashing the Environment Ministry's budget by 50 per cent and privatizing water testing. Harris responded, "I don't recall the minister or my deputy giving me any indication that any of the potential risks that have been identified could not be managed."

'Words cannot begin to express how sorry I am...'

Medium: Radio

Program: CBC Radio News

Broadcast Date: Dec. 19, 2000

Guest(s): Bruce Davidson, Stan Koebel, Bill Trudell

Reporter: Dave Seglins

Duration: 1:33

Last updated:
Feb. 4, 2011