AS OF next week, people caught watering lawns, washing cars or doing any other activity that constitutes a waste of water could find themselves hauled before the courts where they could be fined or locked up.
Charles Buchanan, acting public relations manager at the National Water Commission (NWC), said this was likely to start on Monday, four days after the utility company published a prohibition notice in the press. He said enforcement of the law was possible four days after the public has been notified about the restrictions.
The prohibition notice published in The Gleaner yesterday, spoke to the "deficiency in the supply of water owing to a drought affecting the island...".
The notice, signed by NWC president E.G. Hunter, prohibits the use of water obtained from NWC pipes for: irrigation of and watering of gardens, lawns, grounds; filling or supplying tanks, ponds, baths or swimming pools other than dipping tanks for cattle; or elevated reserve tanks, not exceeding 200 gallons in capacity and connected to household sewerage or water supply system; watering or washing of roadways, pavements, paths, garages, out rooms or vehicles; any purpose which may require the use of a considerable or excessive quantity of water.
It warned that "any person who contravenes this notice is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction by a Resident Magistrate to a fine (of $1,000), and in default of payment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 30 days".
Despite the warning, Mr Charles said the NWC was encouraging voluntary conservation at this time as apart from declining water levels, the report from the Meteorological Office was that "no rainfall is expected in significant quantities right around the corner".
He told The Gleaner that up to yesterday, water levels in the Mona Reservoir had fallen to 1,420 mega litres or a mere 38 per cent of its capacity. At the same time, inflows from the Hope River had almost dried up while those from the Yallahs River were not much better, Mr. Buchanan said.
He noted that although the situation was much better at the Hermitage Dam, which yesterday had water up to 67 per cent of its capacity or 1,199 mega litres, the NWC expected customers served by this facility as well as those served by Mona, to practice conservation methods.
