Introduction
This Thursday, Olot City Council will approve a new municipal ordinance that aims to promote the responsible consumption of water and penalize those citizens who waste water or consume it excessively. This measure is part of efforts to preserve and protect the city’s water resources.
Reasons for the new ordinance
The reasons why the City Council can impose fines are various and are related to the importance of guaranteeing responsible use of water. Some of the offenses that can be penalized include:
Minor offenses
Minor offenses can result in fines of up to 750 euros and include situations such as:
– Fill or refill swimming pools of less than 10 square meters.
– Water gardens with an area of less than 200 square meters.
– Washing vehicles outside commercial establishments.
– Clean streets, storefronts, pavements or facades.
– Use water to remove dust.
– Fill ponds, ponds or fountains.
– Exceed by up to 10% the established limit of water consumption per inhabitant per day, according to the phase of drought in which the municipality is.
Serious violations
Serious infringements can lead to fines of up to 1,500 euros and include situations such as:
– Fill or refill swimming pools of 10 to 30 square meters of surface.
– Watering gardens of 200 to 500 square meters.
– Fill basins of 10 to 30 square meters of surface.
– Carrying out excessive water consumption, exceeding between 10% and 25% the established limit.
– Not submitting the savings plans required by the City Council.
Very serious violations
Very serious infringements can lead to fines of up to 3,000 euros and include situations such as:
– Fill pools of 30 or more square meters of surface area.
– Use tankers for non-permitted activities.
– Watering gardens of more than 500 square meters.
– Fill ponds of more than 30 square meters of surface.
– Exceed the permitted water consumption by 25%.
Control and penalties
The City Council, the Municipal Police and the supply companies will be the bodies in charge of monitoring compliance with the new ordinance and imposing the corresponding sanctions. In the event of serious or very serious infringements, these bodies may take provisional measures, such as the installation of meters with telemetry and flow limitations in the sanctioned homes or even the suspension of the water supply.
For more information on the new ordinance and its implications, you can refer to the following link: [link to new ordinance].
