Water, water everywhere, And all the boards did shrink. Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink. Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samueal Coleridge ======================================================

ILLINOIS State officials Thursday released a Y2K preparedness report ... Gov. George Ryan said he is pleased that there was an average 90 percent readiness factor in some departments such as nuclear safety. However the report also revealed that some departments estimate that they will not be completely up to speed until well into 2000 or later.

For instance, the Public Health Department is only about 67% compliant, and officials there estimate the department will not be totally up to speed until June 30, 2001 ... The Public Health Department is in charge of assuring that the public's drinking water is safe, according to Jackie Price, a Ryan spokeswoman. "The critical systems will be fine," said Price, explaining that some less vital functions may be taken care of after the new year begins ...

[Did I hear that right? June 30 ... 2001???]

http://2000andyou.com/2000/news/ CHICAGO TRIBUNE - May 28, 1999 State not quite ready for Y2K

======================================================

"60 MINUTES" May 25, 1999 CBS Correspondent Steve Kroft narration:

KROFT: "One of the prime concerns for Washington and other communities throughout the country is drinking water. Computerized water and wastewater treatment facilities use embedded computer chips in their control systems. Some of the chips in those water systems have been tested for Y2K, and have failed. Mary Ellen Hanley believes that Washington's water system can run without its computer controls, but she acknowledged she may have to develop contingency plans, for water rationing. http://www.techstocks.com/~wsapi/investor/reply-9851372 ======================================================

More than thirty million people in the United States are likely to be without water after January 2000. Nearly two thirds of those affected will be in the big cities ... This bleak assessment was delivered during an American-Canadian meeting held on February 22, 1999 to discuss "Cross-Border Y2K Issues." At the meeting it was revealed that ten percent of large urban water suppliers in the United States are not expected to be Y2K compliant when the Year 2000 date transition occurs. http://www.y2ktimebomb.com/Tip/Lord/lord9912.htm ======================================================

GAO Report - Status of the Water Industry http://www.gao.gov/new.items/ai99151.pdf Doesn't sound very good ... low response rates, divided authority. Glad I have my own well. John Hunt ======================================================

The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion, John Koskinen, says the transition to Y2K is not a cause for you to disrupt your life ... Personal preparedness for transition to the Year 2000 is no different from ways you prepare for the usual winter storm. As always, you should have batteries for flashlights and radios, a three day supply of water and non perishable goods, and at least a half a tank of gas. http://www.fema.com/y2k/bltn01.html

[Did I hear that right? 3 days] ======================================================

NORFOLK, Va. [May 12, 1999] -- The Defense Department must be careful to prepare for possible Year 2000 problems while not alarming the public, a top Navy official said ...

For example, as part of its Year 2000 consequence-management efforts, Wennergren said a Navy base might bring in WATER TANKERS shortly before year's end to ensure that the base's water supply is not interrupted if computers fail. But perception management would dictate against such a move "because people outside [the base] would want to do the same thing," Wennergren said. http://www.fcw.com/pubs/fcw/1999/0510/web-DOD-5-12-99.html http://www.techstocks.com/~wsapi/investor/reply-9496681

-- Cheryl (Transplant@Oregon.com), May 30, 1999

Answers

"because people outside [the base] would want to do the same thing,"

Governements stockpile, individuals hoard.

Hypocrits.

-- Ken Seger (kenseger@earthlink.net), May 30, 1999.

OOOOOOHHHHHH We have another researcher!

Seem like perception is everything eh! Even with the Navy? Now how many entities have water tankers?

Good work Cheryl!

-- Brian (imager@home.com), May 30, 1999.

Anyone remember the articles (probably 20 years ago) about towing large ice bergs from the Artic Ocean via ships to supply California with drinking water?

I think it might have been Popular Science or Scientific American, two of my childhood favorites. Wonder if they ever did real feasibility studies? Sounded plausible at the time.

Australia could use Antartic bergs in similiar fashion. Just a beautiful Sunday afternoon reminesence.

The *cool* thing about berg ice is it is a beautiful blue. This is caused by the eons of compression and the lack of oxygen in it. It is used in drinks on some cruise liners in the Alaskan adventures packages. The ice will last maybe 10 times as long as normal ice because of it's density.

-- spun@lright (mikeymac@uswest.net), May 30, 1999.

Keep collecting those clear hard plastic two liter bottles in which to store water, folks.

-- dinosaur (dinosaur@williams-net.com), May 30, 1999.

As usual, I recommend the Berkefeld water filter.

Information from Noah's Pantry on the Berkefeld water filtration systems.

Spec sheet: Doulton Super Sterasyl Element Specifications

A discussion comparing various Gravity and Siphon Filters.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), June 01, 1999.