Redland Shire Council has sent its sewerage monitoring and control systems on a journey through time to check the potential effects of the Millenium Bug Y2K. As part of its ongoing Y2K testing and business continuity planning, Council has date forwarded the Shire’s sewerage treatment plants to the year 2027.
One of the Shire’s water treatment plants has undergone the same process with the other to follow shortly. The process was sample tested in June with the monitoring of one sewerage plant. End of month reports showed all systems were operating normally so the trial could go ahead.
Two further plants monitored since have also proved to be operating as normal in the future. CEO Hayden Wright said the date forwarding process is part of Council’s Y2K preparations and its pro active approach to potential Millennium Bug problems.
“By date forwarding these systems the major problem dates and the actual changeover date of 1 January 2000 will be avoided altogether,” he said. “Tests so far have shown that the control systems are functioning in the future with absolutely no problems.”
He pointed out the significance of using the year 2027 as the benchmark. “The choice of 2027 was perfect because it has the same weekday configuration as 1999,” he said. “For example 1 August is a Sunday in both 1999 and 2027 and both have a leap year in the coming year.”
Hayden said Council had given consideration to this idea for some time. “We assessed the risks of doing this exercise and the benefits far outweighed the negatives,” he said. Other problematic dates were also tested including 9/9/99, 32/12/99, 1/1/2000 and 29/2/2000.
The systems will be maintained on 2027 time until March next year in order to avoid any unforeseen risks which might occur in January . Hayden Wright said an advantage of carrying out this process now is that it leaves Council free to concentrate on other areas of operation.
For further information contact Year 2000 Project Manager Aubrey Damant, telephone (07) 3286 8691
