The main cathedral in San Francisco has been ordered to take down a sprinkler system used to deter homeless from sleeping in its 30ft-high porchways. The hoses outside the front  of Saint Mary of the Assumption were apparently installed two years ago without necessary planning permission. News of their existence emerged via CBS News this week, triggering outcry from the wider community. Some branded the sprayers - which used hundreds of gallons of water every night - 'shocking', 'rude', 'inhumane' and a 'waste of resources'. Against building regulations: The main cathedral in San Francisco has been ordered to take down a sprinkler system used to deter homeless from sleeping in its porchways . Discreet: The hoses outside the front of Saint Mary of the Assumption were apparently installed two years ago without necessary planning permission . Jennifer Friedenbach, executive director of the Coalition on Homeless, added that the time-triggered mechanisms were 'certainly not formed on the basis of Catholic teachings.' However, the church defended the sprinkler idea stating that it wasn't safe having homeless people and drug addicts lurking when families were visiting. Chris Lyford, a spokesman for the Archdiocese, told CBS that staff tried to find other forms of accommodation for those without shelter. 'We refer them, mostly to Catholic Charities, for example for housing,' Lyford said. 'To Saint Anthony's soup kitchen for food, if they want food on that day. Saint Vincent de Paul if they need clothes.' Wrong move: Some branded the sprayers - which used hundreds of gallons of water every night - 'shocking', 'rude', 'inhumane' and a 'waste of resources' Roughing it: A homeless man named Michael revealed that some people were not deterred by the water and merely ventured out with umbrellas . Lyford claimed he did not know about the sprinkler system until it was brought to his attention but another church staff member said the spouts were installed over a year ago. According to CBS, the rain showers ran for 75 seconds every 30 to 60 minutes. A homeless man named Michael revealed that some people were not deterred by the water and merely ventured out with umbrellas. 'You've got some pretty hardcore homeless people who actually don’t care... so they’ll go in there and sleep.' Robert, another homeless San Francisco inhabitant, said that as well as the water systems there were signs pasted up stating 'No Trespassing.' Time-triggered mechanism: According to CBS, the rain showers ran for 75 seconds every 30 to 60 minutes. However, now the sprinklers will be taken down as they reportedly violate the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection code. The church has 15 days to comply and remove the system. Bishop William Justice, the rector of Saint Mary's Cathedral, issued a statement apologizing for any upset the church's homeless deterrent had caused. He said the sprinklers were modeled on similar systems used in the city’s Financial District 'as a safety, security and cleanliness measure to avoid the situation where needles, feces and other dangerous items were regularly being left in these hidden doorways. 'The problem was particularly dangerous because students and elderly people regularly pass these locations on their way to school and mass every day,' he added. Justice said since the archdiocese has learned the system may violate the city’s water-use laws, work to remove it would be 'completed by the end of the day'.
The hoses outside the front of Saint Mary of the Assumption were apparently  in violation of building regulations . The church has 15 days to remove the devices .