Question about apocalyptic situations (in film and books)?

Question

Nit-picky question about apocalyptic movies/stories:

Okay, I'm sort of a huge fan of those end-of-civilization stories and movies ("I Am Legend" or "The Stand" or "28 Day Later" or whatever) but I'm curious about something:

If everyone died, or ran off and secluded themselves for protection, how long would it take before the power plants, and water processing plants, and all the telephones stopped working? A week? 2 weeks?

I mean, are these plants set up for an emergency like that -- or even an emergency like Hurricane Katrina? What are the safety measures, if any?

It's just that, it movies like "I Am Legend" they show Will Smith with running water and stuff, and I can't see how that would keep working?

Does anyone know anything about water processing plants, or work at an electric or telephone company?

Thanks!

Answer 1

I've worked with electric generation and general services in municipalities for over 15 years.

If everything went right - and all the safeties were off, you may have electric, gas and water up to 72 hours... but my opinion is that you'd be in the dark and quite thirsty by the end of twelve hours - at the outside.

Oh, and in "I Am Legend," the doctor had a water barrel/water collection system on his roof.

Answer 2

I work for a water company. And I can tell you you would lose water and waste water facilities withing hours. This includes showers toilets bathrooms etc. Most sewerge pumping stations only have a retention time of a few hours max. After that they go on over flow, or you simply cannot use the bathroom and water facilities. Sorry I can't help with electricity, but I assume that's rather instantaneous, considering once an electrical connection is broken there will be no power supply untill it is repaired. I guess it all depends on the situation. I hope nothing like that does occur.

Answer 3

If it's a physical disaster (Flood, bomb, tornado), then the power would probably be out immediately because of damage to the power lines.

In case of I Am Legend... there might be a virus-ite nibbling on the lines :S

I've been through several hurricanes, and the power is usually out an hour or two into the storm.