<Report: NYC Water Vulnerable To Attack

This says chemical and/or biological attack.

One of the old-time party laughs was to imagine dumping a bunch of LSD (acid) into a water supply and watching what happened. Lots of yucks for people with seriously impaired cognitive functioning, who were going to spend the next day wondering if life were worth living. We picked acid because that was the most potent thing we knew of.

One thing no one figured is how much of anything would have to be dumped into the water to have any affect whatever. I imagine it would take a tanker truck, at least a whole bunch.

If it would take an amount which could be handled, someone would have to assemble the precursors, then manufacture and transport it to the vicinity of a reservoir. Then surreptitiously pump it in.

With no one telling the authorities. Obviously no one I knew, or who knew me, had contact with anyone who could pull it off even if inclined, but we weren’t a hostile government.

Realistically, what agents could be introduced into a water supply in sufficient quantity to cause problems? Are there water-soluble nerve gases, water-soluble plant or animal toxins which could be produced and handled in effective quantities? Something like anthrax, though I understand that is most lethal inhaled?

I’m sure the concern for water is valid, I just don’t know the threat.

Maybe they don't mean a threat to people through the water, either. Something which would render it undrinkable, and be an inconvenience until the systems could be flushed and cleaned. I don't know.

Arf