I live in a rural area and my electricity is provided by a co-op which transmits only - no generation. My water is provided by a co-op with five wells that depend on two transmission companies. Just last week I was told by the manager of the water co-op that they have no back-up generators - if the power is off there is no water.

My question is this: Is there anyway that power could be provided just to the water co-ops (four in this county) without providing it to the homes? The reason I asked is because about 10 years ago we were without power for about two weeks(big ice storm) while it was diverted to a housing addition with about 4,000 homes that were total electric and the water stayed on. Thanks for your information. Nadine

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), June 04, 1999

Answers

Nadine,

Calm down - I am facing the same problem here. Call your utility, attend the water agency board meeting and ask whoever there is responsible for researching the electricity issue. I then spoke to the county OES guy who had been unaware of the potential problem (no generators) until then. Try not to sound emotional, cynical, etc...you will only succeed in turning their minds off (at least by my experience). You might find my post a few threads down interesting. If you are rural then there are also probably farmers with diesel operated pumps - I have encouraged our water agency to also use them if possible in creating contingency plans at this late date. Hang in there and GOOD FOR YOU for making contact with local officials and getting information first-hand.

-- Kristi (securx@Succeed.Net), June 04, 1999.

Thanks Kristi,

I have talked with our electric co-op about power and their answer was "we will not have any problems" but the man did admit that we buy our power from five different sources (is that good or bad?) but the water co-op chose to do nothing because the power company said "no problem".

Both of these co-ops are member owned and take a vote at the board meetings about purchases. The majority of those present at the water board meeting chose not to invest in generators.

My question was not stated very clearly. If these is power available from any one of these five sources is it possible to just supply the water co-ops?

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), June 04, 1999.

Nadine:

Not an expert, but thinking logically: There probably IS a way, but that doesn't mean it will be done, even if there are contingency plans to do so. Thats why you need to store a little water or have a means of getting some "just in case". DON'T bet your health/life on what your coop "might" be able to do. Store some water in plastic pop bottles (drop or 2 of bleach in each), or make a small "handpump" (under $20, plans at www.millennium-ark.net) if you can't/won't do anything else. In other words, take responsibilty for your family and don't put all your eggs in one basket.

As a side point, in Wisconsin all municipal water wells are required to have backup/standby generators (I used to inspect them) --- but it doesn't neccessarily mean larger water plants will be able to process the water anyway. But here we're in better shape than many other states in that regard.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), June 04, 1999.

Jon,

Thanks for your reply. We have made arrangements to store about 1,800 gal. of water but it is not just my husband and me I an concerned about. I have two small grandchildren who live just down the road from me and my son is doing nothing. Also, the couple across the road have two small children and they also are not storing anything. For that many people even 1,800 gal. of water won't last long. Nadine

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), June 04, 1999.

I've suggested this before, haven't heard a criticism of it yet:

Dig a big hole, line with a plastic tarp and fill with water. (Natch, it won't work for apartment dwellers, etc.) A cubic yard is about 200 gallons. (Earlier I said 250 - sorry). For the cost of a backhoe for a day, you can store 10,000 gallons. Then buy a Big Berkey, filter it as needed.

Put it in some place where you really always wanted a pond, put some fish in it. Anybody want a design for a fly-catcher/fish-feeder?

-- bw (home@puget.sound), June 04, 1999.

Nadine: The thing that would concern me the most is the string of dependencies. Your water company depends on electricity and its vendors. The electric company depends on its vendors. It is a lengthy string of dependencies in which MOST must be intact or it falls apart.

Your electric company may not be able to purchase electricity. It may not be able to distribute electricity. Too many points of failure to be complacent.

Then, ask yourself this. Noting the historical statistics for IT, namely that 85% of projects of this scope and magnitude fail to come in on time, how many companies have admitted they are even 'in trouble'? NONE. Now ask yourself if your water or electric company WAS in trouble if they would go public with this. The answer, again, is no. Nothing that would panic people will EVER be released publically until it is too late.

I would not count on them for one second. The appropriate thing to do is to make contingency plans to ENSURE that you ahev water for at least one month. Personally, I think even THAT is way low.

-- Paul Milne (fedinfo@halifax.com), June 04, 1999.

See threads...

Water Dept. Y2k Statement: Analysis, please.

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000uR6

Calif. Water board "in the trenches" info

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 000uRt

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 04, 1999.

The Big Berkey that b.w. referred to can be found at:

http://www.safe-water.com/ap/a273sw/index.html

He's right. It's great.

-- Walt (longyear@shentel.net), June 04, 1999.

Nadine,

If you'd like to follow the Electricity issues, read the posts over at Rick Cowles site.

Electric Utilities and Y2K (Top level)

http://greenspun.com/bboard/q-and- a.tcl?topic=Electric%20Utilities%20and%20Y2K

It's a tightly moderated forum so reading the archives helps.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), June 04, 1999.

Also consider the PureFlow 2000 for water purification. Needs no electricity and can make mud puddles drinkable.

http://www.highlandtraders.com

-- Diane (prepare@highlandtraders.com), June 04, 1999.