The Consell Comarcal del Maresme has developed a new model of municipal ordinance to fight against drought that is different in some aspects from that proposed by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). Among other differences, it considers that requirements such as carrying out monthly inspections are economically and operationally unfeasible for city councils. From the coastal region they also disagree with the option of supplying water with tanks in those municipalities most in need if pumping groups are not available.
In the opinion of the Maresme Regional Council, the municipal ordinance that the ACA proposes for the municipalities to approve in their respective plenary sessions is impossible to comply with. The CEO of Climate Action of the supramunicipal entity, Lluís Farrerons, identifies several problems in the proposed regulations that “make it unviable, especially in small municipalities,” but also in those that are obliged to regulate consumption due to having more than 20,000 inhabitants. . “If the ACA proposal were applied, the extra cost for city councils would be enormous and unaffordable,” he says.
The Catalan agency proposes that municipalities be in charge of carrying out inspections and meter readings on a monthly basis and from there impose sanctions. From Maresme, on the other hand, they propose that the readings can be carried out quarterly and that they be adapted to the needs of each municipality, without forgetting to exercise greater control over large consumers.
The ACA, they say from Maresme, “has not thought about the particularities of each municipality,” but it does warn that it will sanction localities whose consumption is excessive, as has already begun to be done with some populations. “Imposing fines of 50,000 euros each month on municipalities is surreal,” says Farrerons, who wonders if these sanctions will end up affecting citizens or impacting municipal budgets.
The mathematical formula that, according to Farrerons, the ACA proposes to calculate the penalties only takes into account the estimated population and the equivalent of each municipality, in which large consumers are taken into account. such as industries or hotels. An average of consumption per inhabitant is calculated based on the equivalent and if it is exceeded, a penalty is imposed.
The ordinance proposed by the Regional Council to the municipalities of Maresme also has a sanctioning nature based on excess consumption, but gives more leeway to the municipalities to apply fines. Minor infractions, such as washing vehicles in the street or filling small swimming pools, can carry a fine of 751 to 1,500 euros and from there a escalation that can reach 3,000 euros if the act is considered very serious, such as filling a large pool.
Although the Regional Council does not have sanctioning powers, the ACA does not have the powers to force the availability of a regulatory ordinance, but on the other hand, municipal non-compliance could impact future subsidies, according to the councilor. The regional ordinance has been prepared with the collaboration of private operators such as Aigües de Mataró based on “logical criteria” adaptable to each municipality.
In addition, other measures are being promoted, such as the one implemented by Aigües de Manresa, focused on using the water that comes from the treatment plants for irrigation. According to Farrerons, the Department of Health was initially opposed to the initiative, but has softened its refusal and, therefore, Maresme will soon inaugurate a water regeneration station (ERA).
