Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/56/part/III/chapter/III/crossheading/waste-contamination-misuse-etc
Timestamp: 2019-12-05 22:02:29
Document Index: 662732340

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 3', 'art. 3', 'art. 3', 'art. 3', 'art. 6', 'art. 3', 'art. 6', 'art. 3', 'art. 6', 'art. 3', 'art. 3', 'art. 3']

Changes over time for: Cross Heading: Waste, contamination, misuse etc.
Waste, contamination, misuse etc.E+W
(b)any main or other pipe or conduit of a water undertaker[F4; and
F4S. 72(5)(c) and preceding word inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 21; S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)
(1)If any person who is the owner or occupier of any premises to which a supply of water is provided by a water undertaker [F5or licensed water supplier] intentionally or negligently causes or suffers any water fitting for which he is responsible to be or remain so out of order, so in need of repair or so constructed or adapted, or to be so used—
(b)that water that has been supplied by the undertaker [F6or supplier] to those premises is or is likely to be contaminated before it is used; or
[F7(1A)In any proceedings under subsection (1) above it shall be a defence to prove–
F5Words in s. 73(1) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 22(a); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)
F6Words in s. 73(1)(b) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 22(b); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)
F7S. 73(1A) inserted (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/1148, reg. 8
74 Regulations for preventing contamination, waste etc. and with respect to water fittings.E+W
(1)The Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision as he considers appropriate for any of the following purposes, that is to say—
(b)for securing that water which is in any pipe connected with any such main or other pipe or which has been supplied to any premises by a water undertaker [F8or licensed water supplier] is not contaminated, and that its quality and suitability for particular purposes is not prejudiced, before it is used;
(c)for preventing the waste, undue consumption and misuse of any water at any time after it has left the pipes of a water undertaker for the purpose of being supplied by that undertaker [F9or a licensed water supplier] to any premises; and
(d)for securing that water fittings installed and used by persons to whom water is or is to be supplied by a water undertaker [F10or licensed water supplier] are safe and do not cause or contribute to the erroneous measurement of any water or the reverberation of any pipes.
(2)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, regulations under this section may, for any of the purposes specified in that subsection, make provision in relation to such water fittings as may be prescribed—
(b)for requiring the fittings, for the purposes of provision made by virtue of paragraph (a) above, to be of such a size, nature, strength or workmanship, to be made of such materials or in such a manner or to conform to such standards as may be prescribed by or approved under the regulations;
(3)Without prejudice as aforesaid, regulations under this section may—
(a)impose separate or concurrent duties with respect to the enforcement of the regulations on water undertakers, local authorities and such other persons as may be prescribed;
(b)confer powers on a water undertaker or local authority to carry out works and take other steps, in prescribed circumstances, for remedying any contravention of the regulations;
(c)provide for the recovery by a water undertaker or local authority of expenses reasonably incurred by the undertaker or authority in the exercise of any power conferred by virtue of paragraph (b) above;
(d)repeal or modify the provisions of section 73 above or section 75 below;
(g)enable the Secretary of State to authorise such relaxations of and departures from such of the requirements of the regulations as may be prescribed, to make any such authorisation subject to such conditions as may be prescribed and to modify or revoke any such authorisation or condition;
(h)enable the Secretary of State to authorise a water undertaker or local authority (either instead of the Secretary of State or concurrently with him) to exercise any power conferred on the Secretary of State by regulations made by virtue of paragraph (g) above; and
(4)Without prejudice to sections 84 and 170 below, any person designated in writing for the purposes of this subsection in such manner as may be prescribed may—
(i)ascertaining whether any provision contained in or made or having effect under this Act with respect to any water fittings or with respect to the waste or misuse of water is being or has been contravened;
(ii)determining whether, and if so in what manner, any power or duty conferred or imposed on any person by regulations under this section should be exercised or performed; or
(b)carry out such inspections, measurements and tests on premises entered by that person or on water fittings or other articles found on any such premises, and take away such samples of water or of any land and such water fittings and other articles, as that person has been authorised to carry out or take away in accordance with regulations under this section.
(6)The power of the Secretary of State under this section to make regulations with respect to the matters specified in the preceding provisions of this section shall include power, by regulations under this section—
(a)to modify the operation of Schedule 2 to the M1Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 in relation to any byelaws made under section 17 of the M2Water Act 1945 which have effect by virtue of paragraph 19 of Schedule 26 to the M3Water Act 1989 and that Schedule 2; and
(b)to revoke or amend any such byelaws;
but, so long as any such byelaws so have effect, the references in sections 47(2)(g), 53(2)(c) and 55(4) above to such regulations under this section as are prescribed shall have effect as including references to those byelaws.
(7)Any sums received by the Secretary of State in consequence of the provisions of any regulations under this section shall be paid into the Consolidated Fund.
(8)In this section “safe” has the same meaning as in Part II of the M4Consumer Protection Act 1987.
F8Words in s. 74(1)(b) inserted (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 23(a); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(y), Sch. 2 (with art. 6, Sch. 3)
F9Words in s. 74(1)(c) inserted (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 23(b); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(y), Sch. 2 (with art. 6, Sch. 3)
F10Words in s. 74(1)(d) inserted (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 23(c); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(y), Sch. 2 (with art. 6, Sch. 3)
M41987 c. 43.
75 Power to prevent damage and to take steps to prevent contamination, waste etc.E+W
(1)Without prejudice to any power conferred on water undertakers by regulations under section 74 above, where a water undertaker which provides a supply of water to any premises has reason for believing—
the undertaker may exercise the power conferred by subsection (2) below in relation to those premises.
[F11(1A)Without prejudice to any power conferred on water undertakers by regulations under section 74 above, where a water undertaker whose supply system is used for the purpose of a licensed water supplier making a supply of water to any premises has reason for believing—
the undertaker may exercise the power conferred by subsection (2) below in relation to those premises.]
(2)The power conferred by this subsection in relation to any premises is—
(3)Where a water undertaker, in exercise of the power conferred by virtue of subsection (2)(a) above, disconnects a service pipe to any premises or otherwise cuts off any supply of water to any premises, the undertaker shall, as soon as reasonably practicable after the supply is disconnected or cut off, serve a notice on the consumer specifying the steps which that person is required to take before the undertaker will restore the supply.
(4)The steps specified in a notice under subsection (3) above shall be the steps necessary to secure that, as the case may be—
(5)A water undertaker which fails, without reasonable excuse, to serve a notice in accordance with subsection (3) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.
(6)A notice served for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above shall—
(a)specify the period, not being less than the period of seven days beginning with the day after the service of the notice, within which the steps specified in the notice are to be taken; and
(b)set out the powers of the undertaker under subsections (7) to (9) below.
(7)Where a water undertaker has served a notice for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above in relation to any premises and—
(8)Subsections (3) to (5) above shall apply where a water undertaker exercises its power under subsection (7) above as they apply where such an undertaker exercises its power by virtue of subsection (2)(a) above.
(9)Where, in a case not falling within subsection (7)(a) or (b) above, any steps specified in a notice served by a water undertaker for the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above have not been taken by the end of the period so specified, the water undertaker shall have power—
(b)subject to subsection (10) below, to recover any expenses reasonably incurred by the undertaker in taking those steps from the person on whom the notice was served;
and any steps taken by a water undertaker by virtue of paragraph (a) above shall be necessary works for the purposes of Chapter II of this Part.
(10)Where any steps are taken by virtue of this section and it is shown that, in the circumstances of the case, those steps were not necessary as mentioned in subsection (2) or, as the case may be, (4) above, the water undertaker in question-
[F12(11)Where the power conferred by subsection (2) above on a water undertaker is exercisable by virtue of subsection (1A) above—
(12)In subsection (1A) above, the reference to the supply system of a water undertaker shall be construed in accordance with section 17B(5) above.]
F11S. 75(1A) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 24(2); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)
F12S. 75(11)(12) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 24(3); S.I 2005/2714, {art. 3(c)} (with Sch. para. 8)
C2S. 75(2)-(12) applied (with modifications) (20.4.2010) by The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/994), regs. 1(1), 21(4)(5) (with reg. 1(2)(3))
of any water supplied by that undertaker [F13or a licensed water supplier] and drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus.
(a)a public service vehicle, within the meaning of the M5Public Passenger Vehicles Act 1981; or
(b)a goods vehicle within the meaning of the M6Road Traffic Act 1988,
F13Words in s. 76(1) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 101(1), 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 25; S.I 2005/2714, {art. 3(c)} (with Sch. para. 8)
M51981 c. 14.