Stan & Frank Koebel

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Stan Koebel and Frank Koebel were workers at the Walkerton Public Utilities Commission at the time of the Walkerton Tragedy. Frank worked as the water foreman while Stan worked as the Commission's supervisor. Neither had any formal training in their position, retaining their jobs through three decades of on-the-job experience.

During the time of the Tragedy, both denied any wrongdoing and firmly held that the water at Walkerton was safe to drink. However, as the Tragedy grew in severity the two were eventually part of the criminal investigation into the Tragedy, and, as a result, both would eventually plead guilty to a charge of common nuisance through a plea bargain. In their plea, they admitted to falsifying reports and Frank admitted to drinking on the job, though a beer fridge did exist at the facility.

They were both formally sentenced on December 21, 2004, with Stan receiving a year in jail and Frank nine months of house arrest. Reaction to their sentencing was mixed- some felt it was justice served, while others believed they were merely scapegoats to the "real culprits", the Ontario Progressive Conservative government of Mike Harris.