How do you suppose loss of power may impact wastewater treatment facilities and/or quality of drinking water?

-- Anonymous, March 06, 1999

Answers

IMHO, not a problem - UNTIL/UNLESS the diesel-fuel for backup- generators at treatment facilities runs out.

Embedded controllers probably more of a threat for water/sewer.

-- Anonymous, March 08, 1999

Probably not at all. I have toured two wastewater treatment plants, and both used the methane generated by the treatment process to use as fuel for a generator as a backup for those occasions when they lose line power.

One plant near my town can operate indefinitely with only about 10% of the methane generated at the plant daily.

Why don't you call up your plant and ask for a tour? You'd be surprised...the folks that work at those plants are among the unsung heros of our modern lifestyle, and they always like to show off what they can do.

If it doesn't do anything else for you, it will give you a better appreciation of what happens when you pull the handle in the throne room.

LP

-- Anonymous, March 09, 1999

Much of the water supply depends on pumped storage to maintain a gravity head -- at some point during an extended power outage there won't be much wastewater to treat.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 1999