[interdoc-y2k 295] Y2K Waste Discharge Website

[Bob Olsen <bobolsen@tao.ca>]

Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 22:33:13 +0000
To: uk-y2k-action@egroups.com
From: Paul Swann <pswann@easynet.co.uk>
Subject: [uk-y2k-action] YEAR 2000 - Information for Waste Dischargers

>From Brian <imager@ampsc.com>


California State Water Resources Control Board

YEAR 2000 - Information for Waste
Dischargers

http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/y2k/y2k.html



Updated 12 March 1999

Clean water is essential to our survival. The potential failure of
non-compliant devices (valves, switches, monitors, etc.) is a
significant threat to the quality of water in California (as well
as the rest of the world).    Based on observations and the
experiences of experts in the field, the embedded microchip
problem is considered a more serious threat to our health and
safety  than the computer programs that may fail to operate
correctly after 1/1/2000.  Many experts feel the problem is too
big to solve.  No one, however, is proposing that we wait
until the turn of the century to see what fails before attempting
to fix it.  It behooves every public and private enterprise to do
their best to identify and correct non-compliant programs and
processors.  Failure to do so could have  legal consequences.
Every discharger should prepare a detailed contingency plan
describing the steps it will take in the event that the power
fails, that vendors are unable to provide critical supplies or if
one or more critical devices fail to operate properly.


The purpose of these web pages is twofold:  first, to gather
together copies of documents and links that will help waste
dischargers understand the potential impacts on water quality
of non-Y2k compliant computer systems and embedded
microchips (microprocessors contained in most electronic
devices); and second, to provide a forum where dischargers
can share experiences they have had dealing with Y2k issues.


Fixing non-compliant devices is no easy task.  Identifying and
testing embedded microchips with date functions is very
difficult.  Although engineers recommend contacting the
manufacturer of devices with embedded chips regarding Y2k
compliance, they admit that many manufacturers don't know
or they may believe the chips to be compliant when they're
not. Consequently, they strongly recommend that all chips be
tested (especially those residing in critical systems).  Testing
individual chips (when possible) does not always prove a
system or process is Y2k compliant.  Devices must be tested in
combination with other devices in order to ensure a particular
piece of equipment will work properly. Testing must be done
carefully.  There are examples of  situations where dates after
1/1/2000 have been simulated causing the device to fail and
requiring extensive downtime while the chip or device is
replaced. Once a non-compliant chip has been located, fixing it
can be problematic.  Often, a piece of equipment must be taken
offline for extended periods while the chip is either repaired or
replaced, or in some cases, the entire device must be replace.


This site contains a selection of documents from the Internet
that relate to embedded microchips and the water utilities.  It
can save you numerous hours "surfing" through the multitude
of Y2k sites on the Internet.  It contains white papers and
articles describing the magnitude to the problem; step-by-step
procedures for testing the embedded microchips; case
histories; surveys and survey forms; opinions and advice.  For
those who are interested in learning more about the "bug";
how it happened, the forms it takes, how it may impact each
one of us, predictions (dire and otherwise), there are
numerous links to pages with this kind of information.   There
is very little information on the Internet about Year 2000 as it
impacts waste dischargers.  It may be that this area has been
overlooked, or that efforts to address these problems have not
been documented.  With your participation, we hope that this
site will help serve to fill this void.



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   .............................................
   Bob Olsen, Toronto            bobolsen@tao.ca
   .............................................