* Posts by Rick Manner

1 publicly visible post • joined 28 Mar 2016

Water treatment plant hacked, chemical mix changed for tap supplies

Rick Manner

Re: no prizes for good guess

Regarding the concern about dumping an entire storage tank of fluoride into the water system, I have two bits of information that may make you more comfortable.

First, fluoride has a bitter taste. So if there is a severe overdose, people will not drink the water. Trying to cover up this bitterness is a large part of why toothpaste has a strong flavor added, as well as the fluoride treatments at your dentist's office.

Second, most regulators require that for chemicals added to the water that the system run off of what is termed a "day tank". The day tank only stores a limited amount (usually about one day's worth), exactly to prevent the type of overdose that you are referring to. . There are other benefits. Because it is a smaller tank, minor changes in feed rates are noticed sooner.

By the way, this second idea was started long before hackers were born. It is a practical solution that prevents excessive dosing for whatever reason.