It comes into effect from today.
After being introduced in Dublin last week, the hosepipe ban has now been extended nationwide and it comes into effect from today. It lasts until midnight on July 31.
With regards to the criterion of the nationwide ban, the following are all prohibited; watering your garden, cleaning a private motor with a hose, cleaning a private boat, filling a swimming or paddling pool, and filling a domestic pond via a hose.
The ban also applies to domestic ornamental fountains, artificial ponds, lakes, or similar applications.
This being said, plenty of people have been curious about this regulation and how it will be enforced.
The decision to introduce and enforce this measure was made legal by the Water Services Act 2007. The pertinent text in that document is found in Part 3, Water Supply, Conservation of Water - Section 56 (16).
If a member of the pubic is found to be in breach of these rules, regulations and laws, a Gardaí "may request that person to furnish his or her name and address to such authorised person or member." Gardaí are also legally allowed to arrest or fine an individual if they believe that their in breach of the hosepipe ban. The fine is €125.
In relation to An Garda Síochána and the individual rights of every Irish citizen, here's exactly what it states:
16) Where a water services authority is of the opinion that a serious deficiency of water available for distribution exists or is likely to exist in all or part of its functional area, either by itself or by another provider of water services, then it may by order, for a specified period, prohibit or restrict such class or classes of use, including use at specified times of the day, of any water supplied by it or the other provider of water services. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, an order under this subsection may so prohibit or restrict the use of water—
(a) drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus for the purpose of—
(i) watering a garden,
(ii) watering recreational parks or sports grounds, either generally or any particular type of such park or ground,
(iii) irrigating or spraying crops, either generally or any particular type of crop, or
(iv) washing a mechanically propelled vehicle or a trailer,
(b) used for the provision of a commercial washing service for a vehicle or trailer, or
(c) used for filling or replenishing a swimming pool, artificial pond, lake or similar application.
(17) Before making an order under subsection (16) the relevant water services authority shall give public notice of its intention to make such order and the period for which the order will remain in force by—
(a) causing an advertisement to be published in a newspaper circulating in the area,
(b) causing notification of the proposed order to be broadcast on a radio or television channel available in the area, or
(c) such other means as the Minister may direct.
(18) A person who contravenes an order under subsection (16) commits an offence.
(19) An authorised person or a member of the Garda Síochána who has reasonable grounds for believing that a person is committing or has committed an offence under subsection (18), may request that person to furnish his or her name and address to such authorised person or member.
(20) A person who, when requested to furnish his or her name or address to an authorised person or member of the Garda Síochána under subsection (19), fails to do so, or when so requested furnishes a name and address which is false or misleading commits an offence.
(21) Where a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that an offence under subsection (20) is being or has been committed, then the member may arrest that person without warrant.
(22) Where an authorised person or a member of the Garda Síochána has reasonable grounds for believing that a person is committing or has committed an offence under subsection (18), he or she may give to such person a notice in the prescribed form stating that—
(a) the person is alleged to have committed the offence,
(b) the person may during the period of 21 days beginning on the date of the notice make to the water services authority specified in the notice a payment, accompanied by the notice, of an amount, being a fixed amount of €125, and
(c) a prosecution in respect of the alleged offence will not be instituted during the period specified in the notice, and if the payment specified in the notice is made during that period, no prosecution in respect of the alleged offence will be instituted.
(23) Where a notice is given under subsection (22), then—
(a) a person to whom the notice applies may, during the period specified in the notice, make to the water services authority specified in the notice the payment specified in the notice, accompanied by the notice,
(b) the water services authority shall receive the payment and issue a receipt for it and may retain the money so paid to offset costs incurred by it in the course of performing its functions under this Act, and no payment so received shall in any circumstances be recoverable by the person who made it, and
(c) a prosecution in respect of the alleged offence shall not be instituted in the period specified in the notice and, if the payment specified in the notice is made during that period, no prosecution in respect of the alleged offence shall be instituted.
(24) In a prosecution of an offence referred to in subsection (18), the onus of showing that a payment pursuant to a notice under subsection (22) has been made shall lie with the accused.
You can read the whole Water Services Act
here.
