Water (Scotland) Act 1980

76F General functions of local authorities in relation to water quality. S

(1) It shall be the duty of every local authority to take all such steps as they consider appropriate for keeping themselves informed about the wholesomeness and sufficiency of water supplies provided to premises in their area, including every private supply to any such premises.

(2) It shall be the duty of a local authority to notify any water authority of anything appearing to the local authority to suggest—

(a) that any supply by that water authority of water for [F1 domestic or food production purposes] to any premises in the area of that local authority is, has been, or is likely to become unwholesome or (so far as any such premises are concerned) insufficient for [F2 domestic purposes];

(b) that the unwholesomeness or insufficiency of any such supply is, was or is likely to be such as to cause a danger to life or health; or

(c) that the duty imposed on that water authority by virtue of section 76A(1)(b) above is being, has been or is likely to be so contravened as to affect any supply of water to premises in that area;

and it shall be the duty of a local authority to require the provision of a supply in pursuance of section 76D above whenever, in a case falling within paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of that section, they are satisfied, in relation to any premises in their area, as to the matters specified in paragraphs (b) and (c) of that subsection.

(3) Where a local authority have notified a water authority of any such matter as is mentioned in subsection (2) above, it shall be the duty of that local authority, if they are not satisfied that all such remedial action as is appropriate will be taken by the water authority, to inform the Secretary of State about the contents of the notification.

(4) It shall be the duty of a local authority to comply with any direction given by the Secretary of State to that local authority or to local authorities generally as to—

(a) the cases and circumstances in which they are or are not to exercise any of the powers conferred on them by this Part in relation to private supplies; and

(b) the manner in which those powers are to be exercised.

(5) [F3 Without prejudice to subsection (7) below,] the Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision, supplementing the [F3 foregoing] provisions of this section, as he considers appropriate for—

(a) imposing duties and conferring powers on local authorities with respect to the acquisition of information about the quality and sufficiency of water supplies provided to premises in their areas; and

(b) regulating the performance of any duty imposed by or under this section.

(6) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (5) above, regulations under that subsection may—

(a) prescribe the matters to be taken into account by a local authority in determining, for the purposes of subsection (1) above, what is appropriate;

(b) provide, for the purposes of the exercise or performance of any power or duty conferred or imposed on a local authority by or under this section, for such samples of water to be taken and analysed at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed;

(c) authorise local authorities to exercise or perform any such power or duty through prescribed persons;

(d) provide for the recovery by a local authority, from prescribed persons, of such amounts as may be prescribed in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by the authority in the exercise of any such power or the performance of any such duty.

[F4 (7) The Secretary of State may by regulations require a local authority—

(a) to publish information about the quality of private supplies of water for domestic or food production purposes to any premises in their area; and

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

(8) Regulations under subsection (7) 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 local authority to any person to be free of charge or may authorise it to be subject to the payment by that person to the authority of a prescribed charge; and

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

Textual Amendments

F1 Words substituted by Food Safety Act 1990 (c. 16, SIF 53:1, 2), s. 56(3)

F2 Words substituted by Food Safety Act 1990 (c. 16, SIF 53:1, 2), s. 56(3)

F3 Words in s. 76F(5) inserted (4.1.1995) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 119(42); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 3(c)

F4 S. 76F(7)(8) added (4.1.1995) by 1994 c. 39, s. 114 (with s. 74(4)); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 3(a), Sch. 2