Washington state emergency planners worried about CO2 shortage impacts on drinking water

In Washington state, the Guardian newspaper reports that a state emergency planning document shows the CO2 shortage could have negative impacts on drinking water supplies as well as some food supply chains. Some water plants were said to have been informed they may only have access to a third of their normal CO2 supplies. The CO2 shortage is due to ethanol plants around the country shutting down as a result of low oil prices and the COVID-19 pandemic. The warning was first sounded when Airgas declared force majeure against Seattle’s public utilities.