Summer has just begun and we are already suffering the first extreme heat wave that has made the air conditioners are working at full capacitywhich implies that they produce more condensation water. many people let that water fall directly into the street Thinking that nothing happens, it’s just water, right?
Although it may seem harmless since it is condensation water, pouring liquids onto public roads is listed as an infraction in most municipal ordinances. If you do not have the drain of your air conditioning correctly installed or if you have a bottle on the balcony or window and you let it overflow, you risk being fined.
What the ordinances say
It depends on each municipality, but in many of them the dumping of liquids of any type is considered an infraction, even if it is clean water. For example, in the Municipal urban cleaning ordinance of Valencia They do not explicitly mention air conditioning, but it is prohibited to “Pouring water, and in particular, watering plants placed outside buildings if as a result of this operation spills and splashes occur on public roads or on their elements.”
In Madrid, the Ordinance on Cleaning Public Spaces, Waste Management and Circular Economy classifies as a minor infraction “Pouring water into public spaces from watering plants” and also “Pouring water into public spaces from cleaning terraces of buildings or similar.”
There are town councils like Malaga that do explicitly mention air conditioning. In the Ordinance for the cleaning of public spaces and comprehensive waste management They say that “Air conditioning units that face public roads will not be able to discharge water into it.”
There are town councils that take it further, such as the town hall of El Puig, in Valencia, which has a specific ordinance on air conditioning devices. In addition to instructions on where and how to install them, one of the rules is that “The collection of water through drainage or any other means that prevents its discharge onto public roads must be planned.” These are just a few examples, but Each town council has its own regulations.
Risk of fines
According to lawyer Arsenio Martínez on your Instagram profile, fines can range between 90 and 1,000 euros depending on the severity. It also warns that if water causes an accident or damage, the owner of the device will have to bear all the expenses derived from possible injuries and damage caused.
The cleaning and waste disposal ordinances that we have consulted do not establish penalties for this specific violation. For example, the city council of Valencia toughened sanctions for dirtying public roads with fines from 750 to 3,000 euros, but they do not mention the discharge of water specifically.
Just because there isn’t an explicitly established amount doesn’t mean they can’t fine you: it is still a violation. Of course, in most cases it appears as “mild”, so the amount should not skyrocket, but it depends on each municipality.
If you want to avoid scares and your installation allows it, the best and most comfortable thing is for the condensation water pipe to be connected to a downspout. When this is not possible, we usually have a jug or bucket to collect the water. In this case, if you have it on the window or balcony, remember empty it periodically so that it does not overflow and fall onto the sidewalk.
Image | Amparo Babiloni, Xataka
In Xataka | Europe is discovering what Spain learned the hard way decades ago: extreme heat destroys your infrastructure
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings