Water Industry Act 1991

60 Disconnections for the carrying out of necessary works. E+W

(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.