Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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55 Supplies for non-domestic purposes

(1) This section applies where the owner or occupier of any premises in the area of a water undertaker requests the undertaker to provide a supply of water to those premises and--

(a) the premises are premises which do not consist in the whole or any part of a building; or

(b) the requested supply is for purposes other than domestic purposes.

(2) Where this section applies, it shall be the duty of the water undertaker, in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be determined under section 56 below--

(a) to take any such steps as may be so determined in order to enable the undertaker to provide the requested supply; and

(b) having taken any such steps, to provide that supply.

(3) A water undertaker shall not be required by virtue of this section to provide a new supply to any premises, or to take any steps to enable it to provide such a supply, if the provision of that supply or the taking of those steps would--

(a) require the undertaker, in order to meet all its existing obligations to supply water for domestic or other purposes, together with its probable future obligations to supply buildings and parts of buildings with water for domestic purposes, to incur unreasonable expenditure in carrying out works; or

(b) otherwise put at risk the ability of the undertaker to meet any of the existing or probable future obligations mentioned in paragraph (a) above.

(4) A water undertaker shall not be required by virtue of this section to provide a new supply to any premises, or to take any steps to enable it to provide such a supply, if there is a contravention in relation to the water fittings used or to be used in connection with--

(a) the supply of water to those premises; or

(b) the use of water in those premises,

of such of the requirements of regulations under section 74 below as are prescribed for the purposes of this subsection.

(5) Where--

(a) a request has been made by any person to a water undertaker for the purposes of subsection (2) above; and

(b) the steps which the undertaker is required to take by virtue of that request include steps for the purpose of obtaining any necessary authority for, or agreement to, any exercise by the undertaker of any of its powers or the carrying out by the undertaker of any works,

the failure of the undertaker to acquire the necessary authority or agreement shall not affect any liability of that person, under any term or condition in accordance with which those steps are taken, to re-imburse the undertaker in respect of some or all of the expenses incurred by the undertaker in taking those steps.

(6) Nothing in this section shall impose any duty on a water undertaker to provide a supply of water to any premises during any period during which it is reasonable for the supply of water to those premises to be cut off or reduced for the purposes of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(7) The duty of a water undertaker to supply water under this section at the request of any person, and any terms and conditions determined under section 56 below in default of agreement between the undertaker and that person, shall have effect as if contained in such an agreement.

(8) Except so far as otherwise provided by the terms and conditions determined under section 56 below in relation to any supply, the duties of a water undertaker under this section shall have effect subject to the provisions of sections 60 to 63 and 75 below.

56 Determinations on requests for non-domestic supplies

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, any terms or conditions or other matter which falls to be determined for the purposes of a request made by any person to a water undertaker for the purposes of section 55 above shall be determined--

(a) by agreement between that person and the water undertaker; or

(b) in default of agreement, by the Director according to what appears to him to be reasonable.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, the Director shall also determine any dispute arising between any person and a water undertaker by virtue of subsection (3) or (4) of section 55 above.

(3) The Director may, instead of himself making a determination under subsection (1) or (2) above, refer any matter submitted to him for determination under that subsection to the arbitration of such person as he may appoint.

(4) For the purposes of any determination under this section by the Director or any person appointed by him it shall be for a water undertaker to show that it should not be required to comply with a request made for the purposes of section 55 above.

(5) The charges in respect of a supply provided in compliance with any request made for the purposes of section 55 above--

(a) shall not be determined by the Director or a person appointed by him, except in so far as, at the time of the request, no provision is in force by virtue of a charges scheme under section 143 below in respect of supplies of the applicable description; and

(b) in so far they do fall to be determined, shall be so determined having regard to the desirability of the undertaker's--

(i) recovering the expenses of complying with its obligations under section 55 above; and

(ii) securing a reasonable return on its capital.

(6) To the extent that subsection (5)(a) above excludes any charges from a determination under this section, those charges shall be fixed from time to time by a charges scheme under section 143 below, but not otherwise.

(7) The determination of any matter under this section shall be without prejudice to the provisions of sections 233 and 372 of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 (conditions of supply after insolvency).

57 Duty to provide a supply of water etc. for fire-fighting

(1) It shall be the duty of a water undertaker to allow any person to take water for extinguishing fires from any of its water mains or other pipes on which a fire-hydrant is fixed.

(2) Every water undertaker shall, at the request of the fire authority concerned, fix fire-hydrants on its water mains (other than its trunk mains) at such places as may be most convenient for affording a supply of water for extinguishing any fire which may break out within the area of the undertaker.

(3) It shall be the duty of every water undertaker to keep every fire-hydrant fixed on any of its water mains or other pipes in good working order and, for that purpose, to replace any such hydrant when necessary.

(4) It shall be the duty of a water undertaker to ensure that a fire authority has been supplied by the undertaker with all such keys as the authority may require for the fire-hydrants fixed on the water mains or other pipes of the undertaker.

(5) Subject to section 58(3) below, the expenses incurred by a water undertaker in complying with its obligations under subsections (2) to (4) above shall be borne by the fire authority concerned.

(6) Nothing in this section shall require a water undertaker to do anything which it is unable to do by reason of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(7) The obligations of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above by the Secretary of State.

(8) In addition, where a water undertaker is in breach of its obligations under this section, the undertaker shall be guilty of an offence and liable--

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(9) In any proceedings against any water undertaker for an offence under subsection (8) above it shall be a defence for that undertaker to show that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.

(10) In this section "fire authority" has the same meaning as in the [1947 c. 41.] Fire Services Act 1947.

58 Specially requested fire-hydrants

(1) A water undertaker shall, at the request of the owner or occupier of any factory or place of business, fix a fire-hydrant, to be used for extinguishing fires and not other purposes, at such place on any suitable water main or other pipe of the undertaker as is as near as conveniently possible to that factory or place of business.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) above a water main or other pipe is suitable, in relation to a factory or place of business, if--

(a) it is situated in a street which is in or near to that factory or place of business; and

(b) it is of sufficient dimensions to carry a hydrant and is not a trunk main.

(3) Subsection (5) of section 57 above shall not apply in relation to expenses incurred in compliance, in relation to a specially requested fire-hydrant, with the obligations under subsections (3) and (4) of that section.

(4) Any expenses incurred by a water undertaker--

(a) in complying with its obligations under subsection (1) above; or

(b) in complying, in relation to a specially requested fire-hydrant, with its obligations under section 57(3) or (4) above,

shall be borne by the owner or occupier of the factory or place of business in question, according to whether the person who made the original request for the hydrant did so in his capacity as owner or occupier.

(5) Subsections (6) to (9) of section 57 above shall apply in relation to the obligations of a water undertaker under this section as they apply to the obligations of a water undertaker under that section.

(6) In this section--

"factory" has the same meaning as in the [1961 c. 34.] Factories Act 1961; and
"specially requested fire-hydrant" means a fire-hydrant which--
(a)
is fixed on a water main or other pipe of a water undertaker; and
(b)
was fixed on that main or pipe (whether before or after it became such a main or pipe under the [1989 c. 15.] Water Act 1989) in pursuance of a request made by the owner or occupier of a factory or place of business.

59 Supplies for other public purposes

(1) A water undertaker shall, at the request of a sewerage undertaker, highway authority or local authority, provide, from such of its pipes as are of an appropriate capacity, a supply of water for cleansing sewers and drains, for cleansing and watering highways or, as the case may be, for supplying any public pumps, baths or wash-houses.

(2) A supply of water provided by a water undertaker under this section shall be provided upon such terms and conditions as may be reasonable.

(3) A water main or other pipe of a water undertaker shall be treated as of an appropriate capacity for the purposes of this section if and only if it has a fire-hydrant fixed on it.

(4) Nothing in this section shall require a water undertaker to do anything which it is unable to do by reason of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(5) The obligations of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above by the Director.

Disconnections

60 Disconnections for the carrying out of necessary works

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a water undertaker may--

(a) disconnect a service pipe which, for the purposes of providing a supply of water to any premises, is connected with any water main of that undertaker; or

(b) otherwise cut off a supply of water to any premises,

if it is reasonable for the disconnection to be made, or the supply to be cut off, for the purposes of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(2) The power of a water undertaker under this section to cut off a supply of water shall include power to reduce a supply of water.

(3) Except in an emergency or in the case of a reduction which is immaterial, the power of a water undertaker under this section to cut off or reduce a supply shall be exercisable in relation to any premises only after the undertaker has served reasonable notice on the consumer of the proposal for the carrying out of the necessary works.

(4) Where a water undertaker exercises its power under this section to make any disconnection or to cut off or reduce a supply of water to any premises for the purposes of the carrying out of any necessary works, it shall owe a duty to the consumer to secure--

(a) that those works are carried out with reasonable dispatch; and

(b) that any supply of water to those premises for domestic purposes is interrupted for more than twenty-four hours for the purposes of the carrying out of those works only if an emergency supply has been made available (whether or not in pipes) within a reasonable distance of the premises.

(5) Any breach by a water undertaker of the duty owed by virtue of subsection (4) above which causes any person to whom it is owed to sustain loss or damage shall be actionable at the suit of that person.

61 Disconnections for non-payment of charges

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a water undertaker may disconnect a service pipe which for the purposes of providing a supply of water to any premises is connected with any water main of that undertaker, or may otherwise cut off a supply of water to any premises, if the occupier of the premises--

(a) is liable (whether in his capacity as occupier or under any agreement with the undertaker) to pay charges due to the undertaker in respect of the supply of water to those premises; and

(b) has failed to do so before the end of the period of seven days beginning with the day after he is served with notice requiring him to do so.

(2) Where--

(a) a water undertaker has served a notice for the purposes of paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above on a person; and

(b) within the period of seven days mentioned in that paragraph, that person serves a counter-notice on the undertaker stating that he disputes his liability to pay the charges in question,

the undertaker shall not in respect of that notice exercise his power by virtue of that subsection in relation to any premises except at a time when that person is the occupier of the premises and those charges are enforceable against that person in a manner specified in subsection (3) below.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above charges are enforceable in a manner specified in this subsection against a person if–

(a) the undertaker is able to enforce a judgment against that person for the payment of the charges; or

(b) that person is in breach of an agreement entered into, since the service of his counter-notice, for the purpose of avoiding or settling proceedings by the undertaker for the recovery of the charges.

(4) A water undertaker which exercises its power under this section to disconnect any pipe or otherwise to cut off any supply of water may recover, from the person in respect of whose liability the power is exercised, any expenses reasonably incurred by the undertaker in making the disconnection or in otherwise cutting off the supply.

(5) Where--

(a) a water undertaker has power under this section to disconnect any pipe to any premises, or otherwise to cut off any supply to any premises; and

(b) a supply of water is provided to those premises and to other premises wholly or partly by the same service pipe,

the undertaker may exercise that power so as to cut off the supply to those other premises if and only if the same person is the occupier of the premises in relation to which the charges are due and of the other premises.

62 Disconnections at request of customer

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a water undertaker may--

(a) disconnect a service pipe which for the purposes of providing a supply of water to any premises is connected with any water main of that undertaker; or

(b) otherwise cut off a supply of water to any premises,

if notice specifying the time after which a supply of water to those premises will no longer be required has been served on the undertaker by a consumer and that time has passed.

(2) No person shall be liable to a water undertaker for any expenses incurred by the undertaker in exercising the power conferred on the undertaker by this section.

63 General duties of undertakers with respect to disconnections

(1) Where a water undertaker--

(a) disconnects a service pipe to any inhabited house, or otherwise cuts off a supply of water to such a house; and

(b) does so without restoring the supply to that house before the end of the period of twenty-four hours beginning with the time when it is cut off,

the undertaker shall, no later than forty-eight hours after that time, serve notice that it has cut off that supply on the local authority in whose area the house is situated.

(2) A water undertaker which fails, without reasonable excuse, to serve a notice on a local authority as required by subsection (1) above shall be guilty of an offence under this section.

(3) A water undertaker shall be guilty of an offence under this section if--

(a) it disconnects a service pipe to any premises, or otherwise cuts off a supply of water to any premises, in a case in which it has no power to do so under sections 60 to 62 above, section 75 below or any other enactment; or

(b) in disconnecting any such pipe or cutting off any such supply it fails, without reasonable excuse, to comply with any requirement of the provisions in pursuance of which it disconnects the pipe or cuts off the supply.

(4) A water undertaker which is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

Means of supply

64 Supply by means of separate service pipes

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a water undertaker may require the provision of a separate service pipe to any premises within its area which--

(a) consist in a house or any other building or part of a building, being, in the case of a part of a building, a part which is separately occupied; and

(b) are already supplied with water by the undertaker but do not have a separate service pipe.

(2) Where the supply of water to two or more houses was provided to those houses before 15th April 1981 wholly or partly by the same service pipe and continues to be so provided, the water undertaker shall not require the provision of separate service pipes to those houses until--

(a) the service pipe, in so far as it belongs to a person other than the undertaker, becomes so defective as to require renewal or is no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of those houses;

(b) a payment in respect of the supply of water to any of those houses remains unpaid after the end of the period for which it is due;

(d) the owner or occupier of any of those houses has interfered with, or allowed another person to interfere with, the existing service pipe and thereby caused the supply of water to any house to be interfered with; or

(e) the undertaker has reasonable grounds for believing that such interference as is mentioned in paragraph (d) above is likely to take place.

(3) If, in the case of any such premises as are described in subsection (1) above, the water undertaker which provides a supply of water to those premises serves notice on the consumer requiring the provision of a separate service pipe and setting out the power of the undertaker under subsection (4) below--

(a) that consumer shall, within three months after the service of the notice, lay so much of the required pipe as the undertaker is not under a duty to lay by virtue of paragraph (b) below;

(b) sections 45 to 51 above shall apply as if that consumer had by a connection notice required the undertaker to connect the separate service pipe to those premises with the undertaker's water main;

(i) in so far as those premises were provided before the service of the notice with a supply of water for domestic purposes, to have made a demand for the purposes of section 52 above that such a supply is provided by means of the separate service pipe; and

(ii) in so far as those premises were provided before the service of the notice with a supply of water for other purposes, to have requested the undertaker to provide the same supply by means of that pipe as was provided before the service of the notice;

and

(d) on providing a supply of water to those premises by means of the separate service pipe, the undertaker may cut off any supply replaced by that supply and may make such disconnections of pipes by which the replaced supply was provided as it thinks fit.

(4) If a person upon whom a notice has been served for the purposes of subsection (3) above fails to comply with the notice, the water undertaker may--

(a) itself carry out the works which that person was required to carry out; and

(b) recover the expenses reasonably incurred by the undertaker in doing so from that person.

(5) Without prejudice--

(a) to the power of a water undertaker by virtue of paragraph (b) of subsection (3) above to impose conditions under section 47 above; or

(b) to the power conferred by virtue of paragraph (d) of that subsection,

any works carried out by a water undertaker by virtue of the provisions of the said paragraph (b) or of subsection (4) above shall be necessary works for the purposes of this Chapter.

65 Duties of undertakers as respects constancy and pressure

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, it shall be the duty of a water undertaker to cause the water in such of its water mains and other pipes as--

(a) are used for providing supplies of water for domestic purposes; or

(b) have fire-hydrants fixed on them,

to be laid on constantly and at such a pressure as will cause the water to reach to the top of the top-most storey of every building within the undertaker's area.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) above shall require a water undertaker to provide a supply of water at a height greater than that to which it will flow by gravitation through its water mains from the service reservoir or tank from which that supply is taken.

(3) For the purposes of this section a water undertaker shall be entitled to choose the service reservoir or tank from which any supply is to be taken.

(4) Nothing in subsection (1) above shall impose any duty on a water undertaker to maintain the constancy or pressure of any supply of water during any period during which it is reasonable for that supply to be cut off or reduced for the purposes of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(5) The Secretary of State may by order modify the application of the preceding provisions of this section in relation to any water undertaker.

(6) The Secretary of State shall not make an order under subsection (5) above except--

(a) in accordance with Schedule 5 to this Act; and

(b) on an application made in accordance with that Schedule by the Director or by the water undertaker in relation to which the order is made.

(7) Subject to subsection (6) above, the power of the Secretary of State to make an order under subsection (5) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament

(8) An order under subsection (5) above may--

(a) require the payment of compensation by a water undertaker to persons affected by the order;

(b) make different provision for different cases, including different provision in relation to different persons, circumstances or localities; and

(9) The obligations of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above by the Secretary of State.

(10) In addition, where a water undertaker is in breach of a duty under this section, the undertaker shall be guilty of an offence and liable--

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(11) In any proceedings against any water undertaker for an offence under subsection (10) above it shall be a defence for that undertaker to show that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.

66 Requirements by undertaker for maintaining pressure

(1) A water undertaker may require that any premises consisting in--

(a) any building or part of a building the supply of water to which need not, in accordance with provision contained in or made under this Act, be constantly laid on under pressure; or

(b) any relevant house to which water is required to be delivered at a height greater than a point 10.5 metres below the draw-off level of the service reservoir or tank from which a supply of water is being provided by the undertaker to those premises,

shall be provided with a cistern which has a float-operated valve and is fitted on the pipe by means of which water is supplied to those premises.

(2) A water undertaker may, in the case of such a house as is mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above, require that a cistern the provision of which is required under that subsection shall be capable of holding sufficient water to provide an adequate supply to the house for a period of twenty-four hours.

(3) If, where a water undertaker provides a supply of water to any premises, the consumer, after having been required to do so by notice served on him by the undertaker, fails before the end of the period specified in the notice--

(a) to provide a cistern in accordance with a requirement under this section; or

(b) to put any such cistern and its float-operated valve into good repair,

the water undertaker may itself provide a cistern, or carry out any repairs necessary to prevent waste of water.

(4) The period specified for the purposes of subsection (3) above in a notice under this section shall be a period of not less than twenty-eight days beginning with the day after the service of the notice.

(5) Where a water undertaker provides a cistern or carries out any repairs under subsection (3) above, it may recover the expenses reasonably incurred by it in doing so from the owner of the premises in question.

(6) In this section--

"pre-transfer supplier", in relation to a house, means the person who was supplying water to that house immediately before 1st September 1989; and
"relevant house" means any house other than a house in relation to which the following two conditions are satisfied, that is to say--
(i)
the erection of the house was commenced before 1st September 1989; and
(ii)
no such requirement as is mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) above could have been imposed in relation to the house under any enactment having effect immediately before that date in relation to the pre-transfer supplier.

Chapter III Quality and Sufficiency of Supplies

Standards of wholesomeness

67 Standards of wholesomeness

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision that water that is supplied to any premises is or is not to be regarded as wholesome for the purposes of this Chapter if it satisfies or, as the case may be, fails to satisfy such requirements as may be prescribed.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, regulations under this section may, for the purpose of determining the wholesomeness of any water--

(a) prescribe general requirements as to the purposes for which the water is to be suitable;

(b) prescribe specific requirements as to the substances that are to be present in or absent from the water and as to the concentrations of substances which are or are required to be present in the water;

(d) provide that the question whether prescribed requirements are satisfied may be determined by reference to such samples as may be prescribed;

(e) enable the Secretary of State to authorise such relaxations of and departures from the prescribed requirements (or from any of them) 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; and

(f) enable the Secretary of State to authorise a local authority (either instead of the Secretary of State or concurrently with him) to exercise in relation to a private supply any power conferred on the Secretary of State by regulations made by virtue of paragraph (e) above.

General obligations of undertakers

68 Duties of water undertakers with respect to water quality

(1) It shall be the duty of a water undertaker--

(a) when supplying water to any premises for domestic or food production purposes to supply only water which is wholesome at the time of supply; and

(b) so far as reasonably practicable, to ensure, in relation to each source or combination of sources from which that undertaker supplies water to premises for domestic or food production purposes, that there is, in general, no deterioration in the quality of the water which is supplied from time to time from that source or combination of sources.

(2) For the purposes of this section and section 69 below and subject to subsection (3) below, water supplied by a water undertaker to any premises shall not be regarded as unwholesome at the time of supply where it has ceased to be wholesome only after leaving the undertaker's pipes.

(3) For the purposes of this section where water supplied by a water undertaker to any premises would not otherwise be regarded as unwholesome at the time of supply, that water shall be regarded as unwholesome at that time if--

(a) it has ceased to be wholesome after leaving the undertaker's pipes but while in a pipe which is subject to water pressure from a water main or which would be so subject but for the closing of some valve; and

(b) it has so ceased in consequence of the failure of the undertaker, before supplying the water, to take such steps as may be prescribed for the purpose of securing the elimination, or reduction to a minimum, of any prescribed risk that the water would cease to be wholesome after leaving the undertaker's pipes.

(4) The provisions of this section shall apply in relation to water which is supplied by a water undertaker whether or not the water is water which the undertaker is required to supply by virtue of any provision of this Act.

(5) The duties of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above by the Secretary of State.

69 Regulations for preserving water quality

(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations require a water undertaker to take all such steps as may be prescribed for the purpose of securing compliance with section 68 above.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by subsection (1) above, regulations under that subsection may impose an obligation on a water undertaker--

(a) to take all such steps as may be prescribed for monitoring and recording whether the water which that undertaker supplies to premises for domestic or food production purposes is wholesome at the time of supply;

(b) to take all such steps as may be prescribed for monitoring and recording the quality of the water from any source, or combination of sources, which that undertaker uses or is proposing to use for supplying water to any premises for domestic or food production purposes;

(c) to ensure that a source which that undertaker is using or proposing to use for supplying water for domestic or food production purposes is not so used until prescribed requirements for establishing the quality of water which may be supplied from that source have been complied with;

(d) to keep records of the localities within which all the premises supplied with water for domestic or food production purposes by that undertaker are normally supplied from the same source or combination of sources;

(e) to comply with prescribed requirements with respect to the analysis of water samples or with respect to internal reporting or organisational arrangements.

(3) Without prejudice to subsections (1) and (2) above, the Secretary of State may by regulations make provision with respect to the use by water undertakers, for the purposes of or in connection with the carrying out of their functions--

(a) of such processes and substances; and

(b) of products that contain or are made with such substances or materials,

as he considers might affect the quality of any water.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferrred by subsection (3) above, regulations under that subsection may--

(a) forbid the use by water undertakers of processes, substances and products which have not been approved under the regulations or which contravene the regulations;

(b) for the purposes of provision made by virtue of paragraph (a) above, require processes, substances and products used by water undertakers to conform to such standards as may be prescribed by or approved under the regulations;

(c) impose such other requirements as may be prescribed with respect to the use by water undertakers of prescribed processes, substances and products;

(d) provide for the giving, refusal and revocation, by prescribed persons, of approvals required for the purposes of the regulations, for such approvals to be capable of being made subject to such conditions as may be prescribed and for the modification and revocation of any such condition;

(e) impose obligations to furnish prescribed persons with information reasonably required by those persons for the purpose of carrying out functions under the regulations;

(f) provide for a contravention of the regulations to constitute--

(i) a summary offence punishable, on summary conviction, by a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or such smaller sum as may be prescribed; or

(ii) an offence triable either way and punishable, on summary conviction, by a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum and, on conviction on indictment, by a fine;

and

(g) require prescribed charges to be paid to persons carrying out functions under the regulations.

(5) The Secretary of State may by regulations require a water undertaker--

(a) to publish information about the quality of water supplied for domestic or food production purposes to any premises by that undertaker; and

(b) to provide information to prescribed persons about the quality of water so supplied.

(6) Regulations under subsection (5) above--

(a) shall prescribe both the information which is to be published or provided in pursuance of the regulations and the manner and circumstances in which it is to be published or provided;

(b) may require the provision of information by a water undertaker to any person to be free of charge or may authorise it to be subject to the payment by that person to the undertaker of a prescribed charge; and

(c) may impose such other conditions on the provision of information by a water undertaker to any person as may be prescribed.

70 Offence of supplying water unfit for human consumption

(1) Subject to subsection (3) below, where a water undertaker supplies water by means of pipes to any premises and that water is unfit for human consumption, the undertaker shall be guilty of an offence and liable--

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(2) For the purposes of section 210 below and any other enactment under which an individual is guilty of an offence by virtue of subsection (1) above the penalty on conviction on indictment of an offence under this section shall be deemed to include imprisonment (in addition to or instead of a fine) for a term not exceeding two years.

(3) In any proceedings against any water undertaker for an offence under this section it shall be a defence for that undertaker to show that it--

(a) had no reasonable grounds for suspecting that the water would be used for human consumption; or

(b) took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence for securing that the water was fit for human consumption on leaving its pipes or was not used for human consumption.

(4) Proceedings for an offence under this section shall not be instituted except by the Secretary of State or the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Waste, contamination, misuse etc.

71 Waste from water sources

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, a person shall be guilty of an offence under this section if--

(a) he causes or allows any underground water to run to waste from any well, borehole or other work; or

(b) he abstracts from any well, borehole or other work water in excess of his reasonable requirements.

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