LESS THAN HALF OF WATER SYSTEMS MAY BE PREPARED FOR Y2K

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LESS THAN HALF OF WATER SYSTEMS MAY BE PREPARED FOR Y2K

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Source: http://www.y2kcenter.org/news/1210pr.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 1999
Contact: Sherry Raynor
Fenton Communications
202/822-5200, ext 245

LESS THAN HALF OF WATER
SYSTEMS MAY BE
PREPARED FOR Y2K
Government Panels Misinterpreted Key
Information, Says Report
Surveys of drinking-water and wastewater facilities by industry groups indicate that, at best, less than half these utilities are ready for the year 2000 rollover, says a report released today by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Center for Y2K and Society.
The most recent detailed industry survey by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), shows that only 20 percent to 45 percent of drinking water systems were Y2K compliant as of June 1999. Even these low numbers are optimistic: Of the approximately 55,000 U.S. drinking water utilities, less than 1 percent have responded to an Y2K industry survey. AMWA's two-question follow-up survey of 118 utilities in September was of little use because it failed to ask if respondents had completed the final, critical phases of testing and implementation. And the National Rural Water Association has not released any data to the public from its recent survey.
The prospects for wastewater treatment are even worse. The most recent survey of wastewater facilities, taken in July, indicated that only 4 percent were ready.
Recent government reassurances about the Y2K readiness of drinking water utilities have been based on a misreading of the industry data. The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion and the Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem have both said that, based on industry surveys, 92 percent of those responding are "fully compliant." But e-mail correspondence from an AWWA representative indicates that this figure refers to the readiness of internal computer systems at the responding facilities, and not to the state of readiness of the utilities, themselves.
As for wastewater, the President's Council's final report inexplicably omitted the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies' survey showing that only 4 percent of these facilities were ready. In contrast, the Senate Committee's September report found AMSA's survey results "a cause for great concern," and significant enough to conclude that "we feel justified in saying we are alarmed by these statistics."
A July 1999 General Accounting Office (GAO) telephone survey underscores the lack of preparation by water utilities. GAO polled 21 U.S. cities, and found that only five of the seventeen city-owned or -operated drinking or wastewater facilities were Y2K-ready.
"While we cannot predict which or how many systems, this data strongly indicates some drinking and wastewater facilities could have Y2K-related problems," says Norman Dean, Executive Director of the Center for Y2K and Society. "We urge people not to panic, but to prepare, by storing a gallon of water per person per day for approximately 10 days."
Y2K-related problems at drinking-water utilities might cause loss of water supply or reduction in water pressure, lack of adequate treatment and possible release of toxic or hazardous substances. Wastewater facilities might discharge untreated sewage due to Y2K failures.
In a prepared statement, Erik Olson of NRDC warns that the Y2K problem may not be "over" on January 1, 2000. "Data corruption, supply chain failures and gradual system degradation could cause service interruptions for months and even into the next year," he says.
In addition to recommending that consumers store water, the study urged that the following steps be taken:

The Environmental Protection Agency should require states to update their legally mandated water emergency plans to include Y2K. The agency should also provide troubleshooting and resource teams to utilities needing assistance with their Y2K plans.
The Senate Y2K committee should work with water trade associations and relevant government agencies to ensure that information regarding the Y2K status of individual water utilities is released to the public.
Governors, mayors, and local officials should immediately update their emergency drinking-water contingency plans to ensure they are prepared for Y2K.
Government officials, journalists, and citizens should ask their utilities the 10 Questions for Water Utilities Regarding Y2K that are appended to the report and included in this release.

The Center for Y2K & Society -- a project of the Tides Center -- is a Washington-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to reduce the possible societal impacts of the Y2K problem.
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 400,000 members nationwide, served by offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. More information on NRDC is available at its Web site, http://www.nrdc.org. The full text of the report Y2K Risks in the Water Industry can be found at http://www.y2kcenter.org/resources/centerpubs/.

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[Note: The USA Today story about the report, "Y2K study: Water supplies are vulnerable", which ran on p. 1 on Friday, December 10th, can be found at http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/ctg864.htm.]

Ten Questions for Water Utilities Regarding Y2K
(Courtesy of Center for Y2K & Society)
Ten Questions for Water Utilities Regarding Y2K

Have you completed your Y2K remediation, replacement, testing and contingency planning? If not, when will you be done?
Since industry experts have reported that independent outside Y2K auditors often identify many-fold more Y2K problems than on-site staff, can you tell me whether your Y2K assessment was done by outside auditors?
Do you have a contingency plan that covers what you will do in case of problems with the: (a) treatment plant; (b) distribution / collection system; (c) electrical supply; (d) telecommunications; or (d) chemical or other deliveries due to Y2K problems? Has it been tested in drills? Please provide me a copy.
How many hours / days can you provide water or sewer services without electricity?
Do you have Y2K-tested backup power generators? How long can they supply power without fuel deliveries or other replenishments? Do you have an agreement with the local electric utility that you are first in line in case of a power outage / brownout?
How long can you provide water / sewer services without deliveries of treatment chemicals, parts, or other necessities?
If your contingency plan relies upon manual operation, will you have adequate fully-trained staff at the plant to operate the plant manually at the time of the rollover? How long can those staff members operate the plant manually? Have you completed drills for all staff to assure that manual operation will work for an extended period?
How will the public -- and especially vulnerable populations and their care providers -- be notified if there is a Y2K problem? Do you have a notification plan that includes health clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and similar facilities?
What is your plan if there were to be a major spill of chemicals or sewage upstream of the drinking water intake? How long can the system provide safe drinking water if the source water becomes seriously contaminated?
Have you provided your customers with recommendations as to how to prepare for Y2K?

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