Press release from the Independent Confederation for Equitable Non-Collective Sanitation (Confi-ANC-e)
Public non-collective sanitation services (SPANCs), between inequality and illegality
Users demand a moratorium and take action … users are challenging the government on the calamitous implementation of SPANCs (public non-collective sanitation services): by signing a manifesto, they have decided, from now on, to prohibit access to their property by SPANC agents.
Over twelve million French people are subject to SPANCs (public sanitation services), which they finance in their entirety. These services, which are responsible for inspecting independent domestic wastewater treatment systems, are implemented under scandalous conditions of unequal treatment between citizens, and sometimes illegally!
Obliged to open their private property to SPANCs,
individuals are subject to :
- to pay for inspections of their on-site sanitation systems, at intervals ranging from 4 to 10 years, and sometimes even every year;
- inspections of these facilities, carried out by SPANC staff who do not hold national professional certification issued by the public authorities;
- payment of a fee (for verification of their system’s “conformity”), ranging from 1 to …20!
- often unjustified “upgrading” work obligations, averaging 10,000 euros, but which can exceed 20,000 euros;
- the brutality of the sanctions imposed by the authorities responsible for the services, (financial penalties, with deductions from their salaries or pensions), when they dare to protest.
With national regulations that are as incomprehensible as they are inappropriate, they feel hostage to the companies that have cornered a market with sales estimated at over a billion euros a year…
Despite recurrent warnings over the past few years (calls from users and their associations, damning reports published on the malfunctioning of SPANCs), the public authorities remain deaf …
Today, the cup is full!
Users refuse SPANCs access to their private property,
until …
- certification of SPANC staff and a statement that there are no ties of interest between the inspectors and the companies responsible for carrying out the work after the inspections.
- a unified national reference system for service prices, published under the aegis of the public authorities and binding on all players, in order to respect the constitutional principle of the equality of users of public services.
- compliance and harmonization of all service regulations.
Click here to sign the petition!
For further information
Write to [email protected]
Tel. 02 96 26 56 32 – 06 74 50 83 55