Chlorine gas leak at water treatment plant put thousands of Waterloo Region residents at risk

Karen Redman and Waterloo Regional Council are willing to risk resident health and safety over negotiating a deal with striking CUPE members

TORONTO and KITCHENER-WATERLOO, ON –(COMMUNITYWIRE)– A chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant currently being operated without oversight from experienced plant operators due to the CUPE Local 1656 strike could have led to serious harm for residents in the area and to the drinking water system relied on by over 700,000 residents in the Region.

Last week, a chlorine gas leak occurred at the Mannheim Water Treatment Facility while inexperienced workers were changing tanks at the facility due to the ongoing CUPE Local 1656 strike. Had the leak not been fixed, it’s possible that residents in the area could have been at risk of inhaling the toxic gas, which comes with serious health risks.

“This is a very serious, and very scary incident to have occurred at our water treatment facility,” said CUPE Local 1656 President Phil Dominas. “Not only does it go to show that our members who run these facilities are needed to provide their expertise to properly run these plants, it also shows that Karen Redman and Region of Waterloo Council are willing to put the health and safety of our community at risk instead of negotiating a fair deal with our members and ending the strike to ensure that our facilities are being run properly by the hard working CUPE members who know how to operate them.”

Dominas said that without CUPE members operating the plant, there is a serious risk of harm to the drinking water system, which is the most complex in the country.

“We are extremely thankful that this incident was safely resolved, but it’s an example of just how far Karen Redman and the Region of Waterloo Council are willing to go in order to try and force us into accepting a deal that is unfair and half of what they originally offered us during negotiations.”

Dominas added that Karen Redman and Region of Waterloo Council are the owners of the drinking water system who are ultimately responsible for providing safe drinking water for the community and must answer for this incident.

“Residents should be outraged. It is time for Karen Redman and Region of Waterloo Council to put their egos aside, show some humanity, and negotiate a fair agreement so our members can get back to work before Waterloo Region becomes the next Walkerton.”

CUPE 1656 members are full and part-time workers who work to provide clean drinking water, airport services, regional road maintenance, maintenance of emergency vehicles, and landfill services to the Region of Waterloo. They also are trades workers including millwrights, HVAC, plumbing and signals who keep water, traffic, and buildings running. They have been on strike since March 3.

Residents of the region who are concerned about the safety of their drinking water and other vital services provided by CUPE Local 1656 members are urged to contact Karen Redman directly at 519-575-4585 or kredman@regionofwaterloo.ca. Residents are also encouraged to contact their local councillors directly and send a message to all councillors at cupe.on.ca/waterloo.

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For more information, please contact:

Eric Bell, CUPE Communications
(306) 580-0893
ebell@cupe.ca