For several weeks the beaches where I live in Huntington beach Ca. have been closed to swimmers because of a high bacteria count found during routine testing. I dont know weather it is related to the last stages of y2k test runnuning afoul or not, but strangely enough this occured after the L.A y2k sewer spill debackle. I think after The L.A occurance we may never be told if it was related or not. Many local businesses have suffered due to this being the peak of the summer season. Surfers and swimmers are not to happy about it either. With bussinesses pressing the politicians for answers the city has embarked on a massive project all through out the city to find the offending leaking pipes. They have dug lots of holes in the streets around town to search for the source of the problem.

This brings the seriousness of embedded system failure home to main street U.S.A. How Many sewer pumps are buried under ground that are processor controlled, How many oil and Gas pipelines run under our nieghborhoods that are processor controlled and could be subject to failing and require heavy earth moving equipment to get to it for stopping a catistrophic environmental release or other hazards. (fix on Failure with critical embedded systems for y2k is a game of russian roulette for our communities).

-- y2k aware mike (y2k aware mike @ conservation .com), September 02, 1999

Answers

Mike, we need to get together buddy : )

I've been wondering when the "official" explanation would come out regarding the HB closure. So far, all I've heard is that the cause is still "unknown". Very strange.

You raise some great points regarding the local business, etc. which show how one problem can have direct, negative impacts on the local business community and the residents.

Given the sheer size of LA and Orange Counties I would guess that there are a whole heck of a lot of interconnected, interdependent systems that may create a big mess around here and the affects will be felt for years to come.

So, where are you gonna bug out to? I'm in the South Bay...drop me an "e" : )

Mike

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-- Michael Taylor (mtdesign3@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Any chance it's weather related? There are several cities in the northeast in which raw sewage overflows into the ocean from the "combined stormwater/sewage sewer system after large rain events.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), September 02, 1999.

brooks weather here has been good the last month. that rules out storm related failure. Mike tailor we will wait and see how it flys, bug out plans are definitely planned as an option. I wont jump the gun we are taking a flexiable approach to how we respond. I anticipate utilities going hard down for a while and a strong military style martial law type of response to y2k induced failures. If it goes 10 were out of here. If some of the utilities make it will ride it out and see. Trust in God and let him reveal were or when to go. Trust your Gut instinct. We wont have the full picture until Dec. Watch for societal clues. Big drops in the market, Bank runs or holidays declare by any banks, Large police and or troop movements locally, excessive highway work in which lots of roads start getting closed, new manditory vaccinations for kids(govt concerns that NBC warfare is imminent they are willing to let older population perish). orders to boil water,and manitory community registration. If these occur then it means it will hit the fan hard.

-- y2k aware mike (y2k aware mike @ conservation . com), September 02, 1999.