WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1977
WATERWORKS REGULATIONS ON METRIC UNITS
EFFECTIVE TOMORROW
*****
THE WATERWORKS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1977 WHICH AIM TO CHANGE THE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS SET OUT IN THE WATERWORKS REGULATIONS FROM IMPERIAL TO METRIC UNITS, WILL COME INTO EFFECT FROM TOMORROW (THURSDAY).
AT THE SAME TIME, REFERENCES TO BRITISH STANDARDS CONTA INED
IN THE REGULATIONS WILL ALSO BE UPDATED.
A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT THE CHANGES WERE OF A PURELY TECHNICAL NATURE AND WOULD NOT AFFECT THE GENERAL HOUSE- HOLD CONSUMERS.
DOMESTIC WATER USERS, HE STRESSED, WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THE IR 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 TOMORROW ARE TECHNICAL ONES RELATED TO PIPES, FITTINGS, TAPS AND VALVES.
THE METRIC MEASUREMENTS IN MOST CASES HAVE BEEN WORKED OUT TO EXACT EQUIVALENTS TO THE NON-METRIC MEASUREMENTS 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 MANUFACTURED,
/5
!