Sharjah to fine water wasters

Motorists and residents will now be fined for using the services of illegal car washers and for spilling water on to streets. Sharjah Municipality Tuesday announced that they launched a long-term campaign to prevent the spillage of water on streets that has become a regular sight in front of villas and near residential buildings. “We have started carrying out intense inspections in all neighbourhoods to mainly stop workers from wasting water while washing cars on the streets. Wasting water is not only economically wasteful but it also damages the infrastructure and ruins the image of the emirate,” said Sultan Al Mualla, director general of Sharjah Municipality. Al Mualla stressed that motorists will be slapped with a fine of Dh250 if they pay people, who are not affiliated with an authorised company, to clean their vehicles. Residents will also be fined Dh500 if they, or their house help, accumulate a great deal of water on to the streets either by washing their vehicles in the driveway or negligently leaving their water hose running. “Watchmen and security guards will also be fined Dh500 if municipal inspectors find that they are carelessly wasting a lot of water to clean buildings or entrance of buildings, which then spills out onto the streets,” he said. The campaign is held in conjunction with the General Directorate of Naturalisation and Residency in Sharjah, the Ministry of Labour and Sharjah Police, to ensure that the workers cleaning vehicles on the streets are not illegal residents. The campaign also aims to prevent the employment of illegal residents and if they are caught red handed, their equipment will be confiscated and they will be referred to the relevant authorities. Al Mualla further added that the municipality is exerting their efforts to provide water and services to residents, but that such negligent practice by residents and illegal car washers can cause damage to their facilities and needs to be regularly maintained.