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Safe Drinking Water May Not Always Be Available
‘Dangerous Stuff’: Hackers Tried to Poison Water Supply of Florida Town
By Frances Robles and Nicole Perlroth Feb. 8, 2021
For years, cybersecurity experts have warned of attacks on small municipal systems. In Oldsmar, Fla., the levels of lye were changed and could have sickened residents.
The attack in Oldsmar, a city of 15,000 people in the Tampa Bay area, was caught before it could inflict harm, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri of Pinellas County said at a news conference on Monday. He said the level of sodium hydroxide — the main ingredient in drain cleaner — was changed from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, dangerous levels that could have badly sickened residents if it had reached their home
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/us/oldsmar-florida-water-supply-hack.html
Florida drinking water plant hack briefly raised sodium hydroxide levels 100-fold
By Tim Wogan February 2021
It might surprise some, therefore, to learn that minute amounts of sodium hydroxide are commonly added to drinking water. The reason is that, over time, acidic or even neutral water can leach toxic metal ions – predominantly lead – from pipes and solder that carry the water into and around buildings with old plumbing. Weakly alkaline water is less corrosive to metal, and as sodium hydroxide is such a strong alkali, facilities need only add tiny quantities to raise the pH to around 8.5 – something that has no ill effects on humans. One facility to do this is in Oldsmar – a Florida city of just over 15,000 people.
AN IMMEDIATE WARNING FOR ANYONE RELYING ON PUBLIC WATER.
Traditionally the concept of having a supply of drinking water revolved around supply chain issues and system shutdowns because of natural disasters and emergencies. These are no longer the only reasons to store additional water for your household.
Maintaining a minimum two-week supply of drinking water for each person in the home is easy. It is 14 gallons of water per person. Don’t forget your pets.
Water can be ordered in six-gallon cases and is easily stacked.
How long does water stay good in the jug?
Water does not expire. The main problem may be cross-contamination. Plastic food containers are porous and can allow external chemicals to seep in.
“IBWA advises consumers to store bottled water at room temperature or cooler, out of direct sunlight and away from solvents and chemicals such as gasoline, paint thinners, household cleaners, and dry-cleaning chemicals.”
https://www.bottledwater.org/education/bottled-water-storage.
Risk factors with your 1-gallon jugs:
They are flimsy, unable to withstand crushing pressure, and are known to leak.
1-gallon jug of water weighs 8 pounds.
Large amounts of water are unwieldy, hard to move, and can create a risk of their own because of the weight. If you let your water sit too long, the manufacturer’s jugs may fail and start leaking into your storage area, creating alternative hazards such as mold and structural damage.
Steel shelving, sturdy bookcases, sealed plastic storage bins are used successfully to store gallon jugs of water. Do not attempt to stack individual gallon jugs on top of each other because you risk catastrophic failure.
Till next time
“Be Safe”
P.S. For additional information on natural disaster and emergency preparedness, get your copy of the recently released Family Urban Disaster Planning book. Covers the basics Shelter, Water, Food, and then some.
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