Rumors, Truth & Innuendo -- ShadowRam

First paragraph of article: Not to add to any year 2000 panic, but next December, think of three things: beer, bottled water and the Sears catalog. Some CompTIA folks recently visited water treatment plants in Nebraska to test controllers for Y2K problems at municipal water treatment facilities. Within hours, coliform bacteria showed up in the water systems, meaning some embedded processors aren't quite ready for the new millennium. What's more, there are over 1,000 similar water treatment systems around the country. Anyone else hear of this and if so can you give me some verification links or related information links? This is "learn about your water company week" at my house and such information might help in composing my follow-up questions to the IS Manager and Chief Engineer.

-- Other Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), January 31, 1999

Answers

Just in case--

There are free-standing water filters available that will remove pathogens. See Berkefeld water filter.

Water can be pasteurized at home. See WATER PASTEURIZATION TECHNIQUES.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), January 31, 1999.

Sorry folks, thought I had hit the CR in between the article and my comments. My comments, if ya can't tell, are "Anyone else hear of this and if so can you give me some verification links or related information links? This is "learn about your water company week" at my house and such information might help in composing my follow-up questions to the IS Manager and Chief Engineer.

-- Other Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), January 31, 1999.

Thanks for the reminder, Lisa. This might be a good time to inform newbies that 5-gall and (more rarely) 55-gall food-grade containers are available at your local bottling or food processing plant, usually at no charge. You have to clean out the syrup or other residue, but these containers are more durable and convenient to store than soda bottles and less expensive than U.S. Plastics (on-line somewhere and a very good source if no freebies are available).

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 31, 1999.

Lisa,

Another source of information on the embedded systems problem is the following article from the Chicago Tribune. The biggest concern of Chicago's Y2K director about embedded systems is the effect it may have on water systems:

http://chicagotribune.com/version1/article/0,1575,SAV- 9901010066,00.html

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 31, 1999.

Great article from the Tribune! Thanx Kevin!

-- Other Lisa (LisaWard2@aol.com), January 31, 1999.

The following URL is also for a Berkefeld Water Filter with a better price:

web2.airmail.net/foodstr2/

-- Carol (usa-uk@email.msn.com), January 31, 1999.

Hi Lisa

That is truely of concern. It might be time to check this site out http://www.atkinsid.com/bottle.htm and if you put "Duane" anywhere on the form he will give Y2Kers a 5% discount. This system is FDA approved and sounds like an alternative for your situation. Good luck in the future as time is closing in quickly.

-- Duane (Duane24062@aol.com), February 01, 1999.