http://www.charlotte.com/observer/business/pub/well1113.htm

Y2K-wary hospital digs own water well

By CLIFFORD GLICKMAN

Under the strategy "you can't be too careful," Carolinas Medical Center has dug two wells to serve as backups for its city water supply.

The hospital is one of the biggest users of water in the Charlotte area, using 300,000 gallons a day (per-capita use is about 70 gallons a day in North Carolina). It needs water for heating, air conditioning, laundry and medical procedures. Kidney dialysis, for example, requires a lot of water, hospital spokesman Scott White said.

The hospital isn't expecting any problems with the city water system when the new millennium kicks in. But it made sense to have a backup, White said.

"If there were any complications, Y2K or otherwise, we can get it," he said.

Presbyterian Hospital isn't digging any wells. It will rely, instead, on a Charlotte-Mecklenburg emergency management disaster plan that has been in effect for years, spokeswoman Judy Morganthall said.

If the water supply were disrupted by a hurricane, earthquake or delusional computer, a backup distribution plan would kick in. Hospitals would be a top priority, she said.

Presbyterian will take a few other Y2K precautions, such as sterilizing equipment several days in advance.

CMC drilled its first well in the spring near its Cannon Research Center. Unfortunately the flow coming out of the well was sufficient for emergency lawn-watering and not much more.

So in September, it built a second well not far from the front door. That one is working fine, White said.

Mecklenburg County has fewer wells than almost any other county in the Charlotte area. In 1995, it had 6,350 wells, half as many as Lincoln, a county with one-tenth as many people.

Mike Floyd, president of McCall Brothers, which has been digging wells since 1938, said he hasn't noticed any surge of well-digging for Y2K. At $3,000 to $4,000 for a typical home, "I think it's kind of an expensive fix."

-- mmmm (mmmm@mmmm.com), November 13, 1999

Answers

This article is in the November 13, 1999 Charlotte Observer Newspaper - front page of the business section..... http://www.charlotte.com/observer/business/pub/well1113.htm

-- mmmm (mmmm@mmmm.com), November 13, 1999.

Hospitals use an ENORMOUS amount of water.
Home caregiving does too.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 13, 1999.

I've seen ill logic in my day but Mecklenburg County has just won the trophy. Why on earth would a hospital be given "top priority" thus placing hundreds of thousands in that hospital? Mecklenburg County must also get its feet on the ground and realistically swallow value judgements. Those dying and highly dependent are NOT the top priority in any community facing a catastrophic crises. It is wiser to make even senior citizens in which the people are ambulatory a higher priority than the DYING and the TEENY minority requiring an absurd overconsumption of water for care. I predict in a crises Mecklenburg County is going to face a surreal and C rated horror movie experience.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 13, 1999.

Paula, we're FEMA triage trained. Not to worry. The hospital is priority for .mil injury treatment, then saveable citizens.

Those civilians dying or dependent are triaged to a different area, where they will be left to die in peace. That's where we'll be placed, as it is our speciality. Won't be in the hospital.

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), November 13, 1999.

As a resident of Mecklenburg County, I can only agree with Paula. The county and city of Charlotte has been playing down Y2K for the last year. They still rate a "2" in the areas of water and sewer in the Navy Report. Didn't see THAT in the Observer.

Gonna be alot of thirsty and stinky people around here next year. Maybe it will take their minds off their hunger.

Packin' water...

R.

-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), November 13, 1999.

Ashton & Leska, you mentioned your training and FEMA certs. You also mentioned the .mil get priority over civilians. Could you answer just one question...

Just what the hell do those emergency types REALLY expect in 48 days??

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It's ALL going away in January.com), November 13, 1999.