pool water restrictions

[MKT]

I am getting increasingly panicky over this - this is our first year renting our house out and I would really appreciate some advice or a clue as to what the rest of you do. i am getting several emails from booked clients asking if there are water restrictions meaning i cant top the pool up.

this weeks clients managed to splash so much water out of the pool that the level is down to the bottom of the skimmer and the filtration will cease to work if it gets any worse. am also worried it will break the pump by sucking air into it instead of water.

How do I know if there are restrictions? (am loath to go to mairie and ask incase they say yes there are and are thus aware of me) and if i am not allowed to top it up, am i supposed to close it/let it go green or what? am i supposed to just go out of business? I mean these people have paid top prices for a place with a private pool that they will not be able to use unless i can top it up.

do people generally expect/offer a refund? if so how much and do i have to bear the cost of this myself? or do i just shut up and do it or what?

any insight or suggestions would be gratefully received - we keep the pool covered when not in use to limit evaporation .

thankyou

maria

 

[Chas]

Restrictions are regional and if applicable should be posted on your mairie notice board. In Charente Maritime they are promulgated in detail on the prefecture website and updated every 7/10 days..

[Poolguy]

Maria

It would be helpful if you would post your department no. along with this request as the restrictions are more sever in some than others.Naturally, if there are restrictions no one here could/should advocate any action to contravene those restrictions.

However there are things that you can do. Last night and the night before there was significant rain in Charante Maritime and Vendee. I have suggested and built a micro water tanker for some clients to catch roof water.

This is a 1000 litre tank (1 tonne) which we mounted onto a trailer and parked beside the downpipe of the largest part of their roof. It filled in one down pour which naturally then went straight into the pool. Its not much but its a help in a situation where there are few other options. Your local Brico, Castorama or such will have a range of tanks to choose from.

Some have explored tankers from other departments but this is very expensive.You need to get inventive and not let a drop go to waist.

Andrew

[Eslier]

Take a look at the pdf document on this link:

http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/0_tableau_arretes.pdf

It will give you details of restrictions in all departments.

It is possible (although you would need to check with your Mairie to be sure) that if you are a registered gites business with a siret number, your pool will be recognised as a commercial assett and not be subject to the same restrictions as "private" pools. Your Maire should be on your side as your guests are bringing money to the commune so you can expect a helpful response.

Regarding whether or not your guests are entitled to compensation, that depends somewhat upon what you have put in your Holiday Letting Contract to cover such circumstances. We have a very clear clause in ours as follows:

"The swimming pool is usually open, and heated, from mid May until late September. No refund or compensation will be paid, however, if for any unforeseen reason the pool is unavailable for use or is not heated."

This would cover us in such circumstances but I would probably still make some offer of compensation - maybe a discount voucher off another holiday next year.

If you haven't got this covered in your contract then it could be deemed to be a breach of contract if the pool is not available and you will need to judge the situation on its merits.

[zeb]

According to French News on TPS this morning 60 departments now have water restrictions in place (but it didn't give a list). Department 16 had loads of rain overnight so, if you are in the Charente, maybe your pool has filled up?

[Maddie]

We have the following clause (I've paraphrased it here) in our terms and conditions which someone recommended to us:

 "FORCE MAJEUR: We do not accept liability in any circumstances where performance of the contract is prevented by reason of:..., fire, flood or adverse weather conditions, acts of God,... or any similar events outside our control"

A secheresse/canicule surely would be covered by this (adverse weather conditions) especially if the French government are publishing and making public such information?

Do people think it's worth adding a specific comment about the swimming pool for future years, under the circumstances?

[Lori]

I have kept an eye on the postings at the Mairie and on the websites covering the various levels of alert in the various departments.  The website Eslier noted has the same data available.

The frustrating part about this is that here, in the Vaucluse, we are not allowed to water private OR public green spaces.  Our lawn is completely dead, as it usually is each July/August/September.  However, when I drive into Carpentras (among other local villages), their green spaces are gorgeous with lush thick, green grass and tons of flowers everywhere.  The law states no public spaces (short of SOME sport fields under strict conditions) are to be watered.  We were under the alert that gout a gout watering could take place between 8 pm and 8 am, but now that has been lifted for green spaces - lawns, etc.  How come this doesn't seem to apply to these villages??? Or is it that no one does anything about it??

 

[zeb]

Don't know the answer but I noticed our sprinklers going in our local town this morning!!

At home, we have very large waterbuts around the place so I don't feel bad about watering anytime!

[Wilko]

Hi Lori

We live in the Vaucluse. Like most of my neighbours we have a forage so unlimited supplies of water. In the case of Carpentras they have a canal that supplies their water.

[Mpprh]

Hi

I'm not too far away, and we've had less than 2 inches of rain since October.

We have a green lawn thanks to water from an irrigation canal which is exempt from the restrictions. We also use it for the pool.

So maybe Carpentras people have similar solutions.

But we also recuperate rainwater for the potager ......... it is surprising how much you can collect from even a small shower.

Of course, I would never suggest anything illegal, but many of my neighbours top up their pools overnight !

Peter

 

 

 

 

[passiflora]

Why not do what the French do!! 

[Lori]

Mpprh - I suppose that is entirely possible.  Canal du Carpentras.  Just seems odd that all the other villages have the same situation.  We have been on the list for water from the Canal for years now, along with our French farmer neighbors.

Passiflora - What do the French do where you live?

[passiflora]

There is an awful lot of nocturnal activity.

[Lori]

Yes, I must admit we see alot of that here too.

[MKT]

Thankyou all so much for your help. I feel much less alone with the problem now.

- actually i checked and we do have a  clause that would protect us i suppose, about not being liable for things beyond our control and also about not being liable for things caused by adverse weather conditions.

also i checked on that site you said and we are dept 65 which according to that as yet has not got a restriction on topping up the pool, at least for the time being. nothing at the Mairie either. shall hope for the best.

I replied to the enquirers that there are currently no problems but that the situation could change and although i will do my best,the matter is out of my hands.

thankyou again

Maria