I know you are looking mainly at the electric industry, but can you or others point me in the right direction to finding out the right questions to ask my local water production facility? What should I be asking them? What SHOULD their answers be? Thanks - Kendall

-- Anonymous, April 12, 1998

Answers

You're right Kendall - this is an electric industry niche forum, and I'd like to keep the discussion focused there. However, many of the same questions that could be asked of an electric utility could also be asked of any public utility (gas, water, phone, etc.).

Take a look at The Cassandra Project for some pertinent questions and starting points on dealing with the specific utility type of your choice.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 1998

Kendall, I work for a water utility and lead the team which supports both business and engineering computer applications. The following are a few issues which are worthwhile to raise with your water supplier:

1. Do you have a automated system controlling your production and distribution systems? If so then: Have you tested the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) sytem for Y2K compliance? Did these tests include all PLC's (Programmable Logic Controllers) and the central computer that manages the distributed system? Have you tested flow meters and other electronic devices which connect to the PLC's? If you have tested these devices and found some faulty when will the repairs be made? If you have not tested these devices what the hell are you waiting for? 2. Have you inspected all your heavy equipment to see if there are Y2K problem in any of it? 3. If you have automated meter reading equipment is it compliant? (Note: Kendall, our automated meter reading equipment is not compliant and the major vendor who supplies us is talking about year end at best for delivery. Failure of this system would not immediately affect the water supply but we must read meters to bill for the service, and we must bill for the service in order to have the funds to provide it.) 4. Are your major business applications Y2K compliant? If not the when do you anticipate having G/L, A/P, A/R, Payroll, etc. systems available that can handle dates beyond 1999 as well as dates in this century? 5. What assurances do your have from your electric suppliers that they will be able to supply sufficient power to your water distribution system - pumps, water treatment facilities, etc.? What contingency plans do you have for power outages? If you have generator backup facilities how many days of fuel do you keep on hand? 6. Have you begun to investigate the Y2K efforts of your business partners? Can you be sure that all your suppliers will be compliant? If not, have you identified alternate sources for all mission-critical materials? Do you plan to increase your normal inventory of mission critical materials as a precaution against supply chain interuptions? Good luck Kendall in your efforts to press this very important issue.

Have a great life, Don

-- Anonymous, April 13, 1998

Please take note of two listgroup dedicated to the problem of water supply.

The first one is a private group for water districts and utilities. (Several Cities from Australia, Canada and US are already members.)

The second group is general.

Both groups require subscription and are protected by a moderator.

Daniel Cormier Y2K Water Discussion Moderator

-- Anonymous, May 01, 1998

Kendall, In responding to your question about questions to ask water utilities aparently I entered my e-mail address incorrectly. Appologies to you and dharlow@aol.com for this mistake. The correct address is dharlow902@aol.com. Don

-- Anonymous, June 10, 1998

COAL -- STEAM -- ELECTRICITY -- WATER

In addressing Y2K problems in Water Production/Distribution and Wastewater Treatment, you must of necessity begin with the Type of Energy Source to Generate Electicity to Pump and Treat Water.

For an outline of the expected impact of Y2K on Commercial Utilities [Electricity, Water, Gas] in a small city in a rural area -- and a sample letter to City, County & State Officials by a Concerned Citizen -- see "Fewer Y2K Problems With Water & Other Utilities in Rural Areas" in "Anybody worried about computer-controlled water supply?" which can be found within this same Discussion Forum.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 1998