Without wishing to excuse Enemalta or appear to disbelieve Mr De Martino (TMID, 13 January) in his findings, I wish to bring up a couple of points:

1. Regarding the water heater, the intake is cold water and heating water at 55 degrees requires less energy than cold water at 45 degrees – these are examples only. Without wishing to excuse Enemalta or appear to disbelieve Mr De Martino (TMID, 13 January) in his findings, I wish to bring up a couple of points:

1. Regarding the water heater, the intake is cold water and heating water at 55 degrees requires less energy than cold water at 45 degrees – these are examples only. Therefore the colder the water enters the heater the more gas is consumed to raise it up to the desired temperature.

2. The gas cylinders are safe only to a certain weight and if Enemalta’s filling equipment is automated, it does not care whether the ‘empty’ cylinder weighed 15kgs or 17kgs. It will only fill to a total weight of 30kgs.

So, technically, Giovanni is correct. The problem may be twofold. Either the valve is defective and will not allow the last 2kgs to be dispensed due to low pressure or the tanks need ‘purging’. Purging involves the removal of air and moisture from a cylinder. This condition is mostly brought about by customers who, when they think that the tank is empty, will leave the valve open. The build-up of moisture will prevent the tank from being filled with the proper weight of liquid gas.

The latter problem is one of customer education and Enemalta’s quality control system combined, and can be corrected fairly easily. There should be a way of detecting ‘empty’ cylinders weighing more than the tare and cause them to be rejected prior to being filled. Those cylinders should be purged and the valves checked. Customers should be advised to shut the valve off even when the tank is empty.

If these shortages are becoming more frequent and more widespread, it is only fair that the supplier comes up with an explanation and a quick remedy. Keeping pressure on Enemalta may resolve the problem, one hopes!

J. Martinelli

London, Ontario

Canada