Y2K study: Water supplies are vulnerable

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CNN Headline News has been running this story all night Friday HST. I've been looking all over cnn.com but there is no link for this story. They are saying that no more than 40% of all water utilities may be OK after the y2k rollover. The basis of this was a report issued by the Center for Y2K & Society released yesterday and according to CNN, confirmed by Ko-Skin-Em and the White House.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/ctg864.htm

Y2K study: Water supplies are vulnerable By M.J. Zuckerman, USA TODAY

Drinking water and sewage facilities are threatened by the looming Y2K computer glitch, according to a study by two watchdog agencies that blames government and industry with lax oversight. "There are serious doubts that the 55,000 drinking water utilities and the 16,000 publicly owned wastewater facilities in the United States will be prepared for Y2K," the report by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Y2K & Society says.

The report is drawn from surveys conducted by groups such as the American Water Works Association, which found that no more than 40% of those responding had completed the first stage of Y2K upgrades by June. Further, the report notes, fewer than 15% of wastewater treatment facilities are prepared.

Although the study sparked debate among government and industry representatives, all agreed that every household should stockpile water -- a gallon of water per day per person to last a minimum of four days -- through the first few months of 2000.

"Clearly, many water systems are going to operate without problems," said Norman Dean, executive director of the Center for Y2K & Society. "However, our report indicates that some are likely to suffer Y2K-related problems."

With only three weeks remaining, water joins a short list of likely Y2K trouble spots, including 911 systems, schools, scattered power facilities and some medical and social service systems.

The report notes that low water pressure could interfere with firefighting, and Y2K interruptions could cut stockpiles of water treatment chemicals.

"We are very concerned about wastewater preparedness," said Don Meyer, spokesman for the Senate Y2K Committee. "However, we disagree that drinking water is in crisis."

Jon DeBoers of the American Water Works Association conceded that survey results were not entirely encouraging but said, "The vast majority of the water systems have tested most of their critical components and are confident that they are Y2K-ready."

He acknowledged that any prolonged power failure would create great difficulties for water and sewage stations.

The report blames the Environmental Protection Agency and President Clinton's Y2K Council for not responding aggressively after the surveys came out.

"My ultimate sense is that most of the large utilities are going to be prepared," said Chuck Fox, EPA deputy administrator for water. "If there's going to be (trouble), it would be with the smaller utilities."

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What was interesting was the spokesman for the Center for Y2K & Society saying that you should have 10 DAYS supply of water... (What happened to the line about only having 3 DAYS??)

It's starting...

-- Forum Regular (Here@y2k.comx), December 11, 1999

Answers

Damn, how many times are we gonna post this story, don't you think six times is enough?

-- Hawk (flyin@high.again), December 11, 1999.

I think everyone's just so shocked by this (mainstream press) article's honesty. Better late than never...

-- mil (millenium@yahoo.com), December 11, 1999.

Previous threads:

water and waste treatment is burnt toast (should that not be soggy toast, or dunked toast?)

*Y2K study: Water supplies are vulnerable - USA Today* - Also: CNN Headline News Reporting Same Story Today includes link to a 44-page report (pdf)

USA TODAY: Water and Wastewater systems are vulnerable!

Water/Sewers: The Weakest Links

Drinking Water, Sewage Not Ready for Y2K

Y2K study: Water supplies are vulnerable

Water supplies in question

So..... for those of us (me included) who need more than one gentle tap with a 2x4 to G.I. ... I think this oughta do it. Time to solve your water problem. Do it NOW. Have a 10 - 14 day supply of tap water you rotate. Start using it BEFORE rollover (to get in the habit and in case any end-of-year testing causes glitches that release chemicals or beasties into your tapwater). Then you have some lag time... if everyone around you is getting sick, go to stringent measures to boil, sterilize, filter, or pasteurize until the problem is solved (and then some). A search on "water" should dig up more than enough information ... don't put it off.

I finally filled MY containers YESTERDAY. See... only took a few hits with that 2x4. We start using them for our drinking water TODAY.. and from now on until well after rollover.

BTW... better solve your toileting problem now also. That's the other, not so pretty, part of this water issue.

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 11, 1999.


Linda:

I hadn't addressed the toileting problem until 2 weeks ago, because I was busy getting other things ready. I only learned about what Y2K really is at the end of March, '99.

All of a sudden 2 weeks ago I thought of a porta-john; my next thought was that they are probably too expensive. So I checked and they are $80.00 per month, with weekly maintenance visits. Because they are designed for public use, I think it might be adequate for family use for quite a long time, if the company is not able to maintain them.

They are delivering it on Dec. 27 - - after dark to my garage - - ;-) - -. I checked to make sure they can get it in the garage - - it's 8' tall. This was less expensive that chemical toilets or other solutions requiring structural changes or heavy digging in Dec.-Jan. in Michigan, I felt, and we don't have to use precious water or buy lime. Also,I am going to add salt to 2 rainbarrels to hold a larger amount of water, for bathing and clothes washing, hoping that will prevent freezing and to purify it.

If we stir the salt occasionally, I hope it won't freeze.

Here's hoping the 'Pollies' are right, and best wishes to everyone in his/her preparations!

-- Connie Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 11, 1999.


I'm thinking of going the sawdust toilet routine.. but haven't gotten the courage to call for a truckload of sawdust. see here ... or here

Soon... I'm gonna call real soon now. VBG

-- Linda (lwmb@psln.com), December 11, 1999.



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