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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-01-18, Page 3Call a plumber Water heaters BY JEFF SEDDON If you -re in a pinch the Goderich Public Utilities Commission will fix your water heater, but only if you're in a pinch. The PUC adopted policy:at its last meeting that it will only repair hot water tanks if an emergency exists, otherwise it will direct any service calls to a plumber. Utility manager Al Lawson told the com- mission it needed a policy with regards to repairs to privately owned hot water" tanks to enable the PUC to be fair to its customers. He said the utility frequently gets calls to repair faulty water heaters pointing got the heater from us and they callus". "There's a fine line between what's an emergency and what's panic," said com- missioner Al Shore. The water heater rental program that fell by the wayside in 1976 was • a good deal. for hydro customers. Hydro in- stigated the rentals to ensure that its customers had quality water heaters and charged a nominal fee for the heater to cover ixed in its costs. The units in- stalled were done so by municipal utilities and rental monies were paid to those utilities. The fee was $L75 a month. "I think it's a very good deal," quipped Al Shote, "I have it." PUC office manager, Don McMillan, told the commission that the last rented water heater will be taken off the books in 1986. He' said the policy not to rent heaters was passed September 1, 1976 and ULu. ,uatalled just prior to that date had a ten year maturity. He said there were about300 units now being rented but pointed out that there are a certain number of units being written off each month. 1 -Ie ex- plained that next month there may not be 300 units rented depending on how many agreements mature. this month. Lawson told the, commission that the 10 year agreement was a good deal because very PLIC sets policy for C outcording that the utility, electrical installation cording to policy adopted.- in 1976, is no longer in the water heater business. Lawson explained that the problem with regards to the hot water tanks is a result of the utility's practice of renting tanks a few years ago. He said the utility was involved With the Ontario Hydro scheme of hot water heater rentals up until 1976 and as a result is still considered by many of its customers to be the place to go for hot water heaters. Heaid Hydro building owner with s.helved. its heater rental . regards-- to --• any .. hydro• program several years installations. The • pur- ago and municipal pose of the policy is to utilities followed suit. • clearly define equipment The manager pointed needed on a job and out that since it stopped where that equipment is renting water heaters the to be installed. Goderich PUC has PUC manager Al followed an ' unwritten Lawson briefly outlined policy with regards to the contents of the policy repairs to faulty units. He said when he took over managerial duties at the Goderich utility he had been told that water heater repairs were done by PUC "staff only in an emergency and that a small fee was charged for those repairs. He said he assumed that was the official `policy , of the -utility but when -he- tried BY JEFF SEDDON Any electrical in- stallations done in Goderich will now have to done be by the book, a book adopted in policy by the Public Utilities Commission at its last meeting. The commission adopted a policy that outlines responsibilities of the utility, the elec- trical contractor and the to look up that policy he could not find it. Lawson said he felt the PUC' needed an official policy that it didn't repair privately owned water heaters except in emergencies. He said the utility will go to the aid of a customer in dire 'straits because of a water heater problem but will charge for that service. Mayor Harry Worsell pointed out to the com- mission that people just 'naturally call the utility because they see water in the basement' and see telling commissioners that it specified what kind of hydro service went into a new building, ..how many meters would have to be installed, what type of .-metering would .be used and where those meters would be located... Lawson said the .policy contained nothing new but pointed out that now it was -on- a piece of_paper- He said the utility had been working closely with too small to handle the job it was being asked to handle. He pointed out that had the utility been called before,,the job was started it could have told the customer, what was needed and prevented - problems. Lawson explained that the policy is meant to be guidelines for electrical contractors. He said the' policy was written using policies from several other municipalities taking a little from each to come .up with one for Goderich. He said the policy is meant to be "rigid yet loose". He said he hoped'the policy would enable the PUC to get electrical equipment in properly "without an- tagonizing people"-. "It is rigid yet loose enough to .allow flexibility,"• said the manager. Commissioner Al Shore said he felt the pol-icywas excellent as far as it goes. He asked if it was possible for the utility to expand on it a bit to in- clude street lighting and iighxing for ballparks. The manager said he understood what contraotors time to try to ensure that any installations were done'accordittg to utility requirements. "There's nothing different from what, we were doing befoz e.eixd`ept that now we've gotit on a piece of paper," said the manager. • Hydro foreman Evert Middel told the com- mission that before the utility became a wat- chdog over electrical installations the PUC was hydro powering the the "last one to know heater and-" call -u -s."- th-e---work-was being -g done '. bus TRE GODERICH SIGNAL -STAR, THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1979—PAGE 3 iterg7ncy only few wa,ter heaters now are of as high a quality as the - ones installed by Hydro. He said anyone that gets five trouble free years from a water heater can consider themselves lucky. things to a customer as a service that\ could save that customer money but all it can do is recom- mend. He said he "didn't want to open any wounds" but pointed out that all the utility can do when it is making recom- mendations is hope the „ person will consider it advice from trained" people and consider taking that ' advice. He -.said occasionally the utility runs into groups that "don't,t(now what the hell they're doing". "I wish I could say yes to your question but I: don't see how we can," Lawson told Shore. Move the meters The manager told the • commission that it hoped 'to use the new policy to move some hydro meters already in use _ in- Goderich. mGoderich. He said some of the meters already inr customers' - homes o -r businesses .- are in very poor locations. He Said the new__ .._pul-icy..._deter- .... . mines where meters are to„ be located and the ..utility plans to relocate a few. Lawson said money r some Shore was getting at had been budgeted to pointing out that it would move some meters but be very difficult for the'added-that it may take a utility to specify what any number.of years to get all customer, "be it the town the ones that need to be or a homeowner, in- moved moved. He said stalled' on his property. there are about 250 He said the job of the meters in town that utility is to get power to a should be changed customer's driveway and pointing out that money after that it can only had been set aside to do suggest what ' the about 25 this year. customer install. Meter foreman Ray "We sell different types Robinson told the corn - of equipment such as mission some meters in individual meters and town' are so difficult to bulk meters but what a read he has to spend up to person wants, or what 'atwo hours reading them. —..�-i-n,~..�I�._.._sa-id---if wants', is up to them," went • as it should he said Lawson. should be able to read one The manager said the utility will recommend Turn to page 18 PUC) . • Middel explained that Chairman Herb sometimes the utility gets Murphy said he could see called into investigate a how' the utility would get hydro problem and repair calls. He said discovers that the "people made an problemis caused agreement to- rent a because -of the lack of water heater from us, we proper equipment. He installed it and main- said . manytimes the tained it for a number.of original job was done. years and then they see a without the utility problem and all of , a knowing about it and the sudden remember they. equipment installed was Registered Refirement Savings Plans Put a little aside for the future with a Victoria and Grey Trust Registered Retirement Savings Plan. Victoria and'Grey has 5'RRSP Plans from which to choose. The money invested in each Plan provides for tax deferrals and the return on your investment is allowed to accumulate tax, free until you withdraw the -funds from the Plan. Simple. Safe. Come on in, R's time we talked about tomorrow. Contribute td; or purchase a V & G RRSP„and become eligible to win a trip for two to Jamaica. * Registered Retirement Savings Plan means s Registered Retirement Savings Plan accepted by the Minister of National Revenue for Registration under the Income Tax Act of Canada it lc l ®RIA AND GREY TRUST Since 1E44 - 100 c ?44- 100 Kingston Street Goderich 5247381 How about tomorrow? Member Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation m Worsell added thipt some of the tanks Olk before the plumber in- stalling them gets out of, the basement. He said plumbers offer customers the same warranty the . heater manufacturer .offers. If. the unit has a one year warranty that's what the plumber gives. He said, many of the heaters have a one year warranty which indicates their quality. R.K. 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