Helping provide the basics with the gift of gas
Wednesday 9 March 2011, 12:17PM
By Contact Energy
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Having hot water for washing is a basic that is easily taken for granted – until it’s no longer there. Contact Energy’s commitment to doing what it can to help the people of Christchurch, and its focus on providing free gas to support the areas of highest need, has this week led the company to an important partnership with Engelfield Bathrooms – providing free Contact Rockgas LPG for heating the water for Engelfield’s mobile shower unit – to ensure that those in need of a hot shower can take one.
Operated by Engelfield’s Bathrooms, the unit is truck mounted and, with 14 showers, can provide showers for 150-180 people an hour. Englefields is working with Civil Defence to ensure the unit is moved around the city to where it can be of most use.
“The need for these showers is high and a very real indication of how many people in Christchurch are still doing without the most basic amenities,” said Contact’s managing director David Baldwin.
“Our commitment to help with the gift of gas is an important part of our pledge to do what we can for the people of Christchurch devastated by the quake.”
Contact Energy also said today that its gas reticulation network, which serves Christchurch, is back in operation.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, the network was shut down to ensure the safety of rescue operations and to allow all 160km of the network to be surveyed for damage.
This week, all customers who are able to be reconnected to the network, outside the CBD exclusion zone, have been reconnected. “It has made a significant difference to our customers that we have been able to restore the network.
"I am proud of the Contact staff, and all the people who have supported them, in getting the network fully operating again within two weeks of the 22 February quake,” Mr Baldwin said.
Some residential addresses have not been connected because they are unoccupied. Contact is encouraging these customers to call Contact on 0800 367 427 to arrange a time for reconnection.
Contact’s Rockgas LPG cylinder business, delivering Contact Rockgas LPG in 45kg cylinders has also been restored and is fully operational with cylinder deliveries being made to customers outside the exclusion zone.