HEATING OF WATER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26479, 5 June 1947, Page 6

HEATING OF WATER

Temporary Relaxation of Restrictions

NIGHT OPERATION PERMITTED

Although information of what measures will be necessary to enforce the 30 per cent, cut next week has not yet been received in Dunedin, it has been decided that for this week at least electric water-heaters may be switched on each night and remain on between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. They must, however, be switched off during the day.

It is the present intention that the new hours for water-heating should operate for the next few days, but ’it may be necessary to vary them at any time. The city electrical engineer, Mr G. T. Edgar, stated yesterday that it was anticipated that when the Government regulations covering the new restrictions came to hand, a meeting of the Advisory Committee for the South Island would be held in Christchurch, and a co-ordinated plan adopted to cover the whole area.

There had been a substantial decrease in the consumption of electricity in the city in the past 24 hours, Mr Edgar said, but this might be due as much to the fine and comparatively mild wea'ther as to the actual restrictions. Retailers had co-operated excellently with the department, but in certain areas it was obvious that householders were not fulfilling the request for economy. Mr Edgar emphasised the need for savings in every sphere—lighting, heating, cooking, and in electric motors—for every economy now may reduce the harshness of the restrictions in the coming weeks. Some confusion seems to exist about the operation of water heaters. Some consumers have evidently been under the impression that the Electricity Department switched off the water heaters direct from the sub-stations. Some householders have not been using their water heaters but at the same time have not switched them off. thus defeating their intention to economise. It is, of course, necessary for switches to be turned off before any economy can be effected.