ELECTRIC WATER HEATING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 77, 27 September 1941, Page 8

ELECTRIC WATER HEATING

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Last week I noticed a report of a statement by Mr. E. F. Hollands, the manager of the Hutt Valley* Power Board, regarding the wasteful use of electricity for water heating. I think Mr Hollands should be congratulated on both his statement and his prompt action in changing over to charging for units instead of the flat rate for new connections. It is a pity he cannot take the more drastic step of changing old services over to,the unit rate. Some people would then be made to realise that the electric water heating business is a specialist's job. Every user of electricity is now being penalised to allow wasteful use to be continued by the privileged few. It can be fairly stated that if all electric water heating services in the North Island were designed and fitted by specialists that there would be no need of the drastic restrictions now being made. Inquiries from electric supply" authorities indicate that at least»4o per cent, of the electricity generated goes to water heating, and that half of it could.be saved by more efficient installations. Surely it would be equitable if the favoured ones were at least made to pay for their extravagance. They would then quickly improve their services and allow other people to share in the benefits and convenience of this modern use .of electricity.—l am, etc., ONE OF THE PENALISED.