T 0.3 Water

Water can affect the integrity and availability of information stored on analogue and digital data storage media. Also information in the RAM of IT systems is at risk. An uncontrolled admission of water into a building or into rooms can, for instance, result from:

• disruptions in the water supply or sewage disposal,
• defective heating system,
• defective air-conditioning systems with a water supply,
• defective sprinkler systems,
• water used during a fire-fighting operation and
• water sabotage e.g. performed by opening taps and blocking drains.

Regardless of how water enters into the building or into rooms, it entails the risk that supply facilities or IT components will be damaged and taken out of operation (a short circuit, mechanical damage, rust, etc.). Especially if central supply facilities of the building (main power distributor, telephone, and data) are housed in basement rooms without automatic drainage, The ingress of water can cause extremely high losses.

In addition, problems resulting from frost can arise. For example in frost-endangered areas, pipes can start to leak if water stands still inside them, accompanied by persistent frost. Even existing thermal insulation will also be overcome by frost in time.

Example:

• In a server room, there was a water pipe running beneath the ceiling which was covered with plasterboard panels. When a coupling in the water pipe started to leak, this was not recognised in time. At first the leaking water collected in the deepest point of the cladding, before it flowed out and caused a short circuit in the power distributor attached underneath. As a consequence until it was finally repaired, both water and power supplies of the corresponding part of the building had to be switched off completely.