Hefty fines whacked on water hogs

THE Joburg metro police department’s (JMPD) by-law unit this week raked in R23 000 in fines slapped on city residents who used sprinklers and hosepipes to water their gardens and wash their cars.

Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar of the JMPD said yesterday that its by-law enforcement unit had hit 23 people with fines of R1 000 each for violating the Level 2 water restrictions, which declare that residents are not allowed to water or irrigate their gardens between 6am and 6pm.

Authorities are trying to cut water con- sumption in Joburg by 15 percent because of low water levels in the Vaal system.

“We received complaints from residents about their neighbours wasting water,” explained Minnaar. “We know there will be chancers for as long as the restrictions are in place, but people need to know they will be fined if we catch them wasting water. We are still in a drought.”

Minnaar said car wash operations, in particular, that did not use recycled water would be fined.

Nearly half the water used in Joburg is for irrigation and to fill up swimming pools with municipal water.