FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1977
FURTHER MOVE TO GO METRIC
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THE GOVERNMENT IS TO TAKE A FURTHER STEP TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE METRIC SYSTEM LATER THIS YEAR WHEN THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN THE WATERWORKS REGULATIONS WILL BE CONVERTED TO METRIC UNITS AND THE OPPORTUNITY WILL BE TAKEN TO UPDATE REFERENCES TO BRITISH STANDARDS CONTAINED IN THE REGULATIONS.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE CHANGES ARE OF A PURELY TECHNICAL NATURE AND WILL NOT AFFECT THE GENERAL HOUSEHOLD CONSUMER.
DOMESTIC WATER USERS, HE STRESSED, WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR METERS READ IN IMPERIAL UNITS AND THEIR BILLS CHARGED ACCORDING TO THE IMPERIAL UNIT OF 1,000 GALLONS.
+ IN OTHER WORDS, DOMESTIC HOUSEHOLDERS WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THEIR WATER BILLS AS THEY HAVE BEEN DOING UP TO NOW UNTIL THE WATERWORKS BILLING SYSTEM HAS BEEN COMPUTERISED TO DEAL WITH DOMESTIC ACCOUNTS. THIS WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS AT WHICH TIME CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO THE TIMING OF THE CHANGE OVER TO METRIC,+ HE SAID.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT CHANGES WHICH ARE COMING INTO EFFECT NOW ARE TECHNICAL ONES RELATED TO PIPES, FITTINGS, TAPS AND VALVES. THEY ARE CONTAINED IN THE WATERWORKS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1977 WHICH WAS GAZETTED TODAY AND WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON DECEMBER 1.
THE METRIC MEASUREMENTS IN MOST CASES HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT TO EXACT EQUIVALENTS TO THE NON-METRIC MEASUREMENTS NOW BEING USED.
HE SAID THAT THE CONVERSION TO METRIC SPECIFICATIONS WOULD MEAN NO DIFFERENCE IN COST SUCH AS FOR CONNECTIONS OR FIRE SERVICE CHARGES.
THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE AMENDED REGULATIONS WILL IMPOSE NO HARDSHIP ON IMPORTERS WHO CAN USE EXISTING STOCKS OF PIPES OR FITTINGS PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE WATERWORKS OFFICE AND MAY CONTINUE TO USE SUCH MATERIALS WHILE THEY CONTINUE TO BE GENERALLY MAUNFACTURED.
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