Water Industry Act 1991

86 Assessors for the enforcement of water quality

(1) The Secretary of State may for the purposes of this section appoint persons to act on his behalf as technical assessors in relation to some or all of—

(a) the powers and duties conferred or imposed on him by or under sections 67 to 70 and 77 to 82 above; and

(b) such other powers and duties in relation to the quality and sufficiency of water supplied by a water undertaker as are conferred or imposed on him by or under any other enactments.

(2) A person appointed under this section shall—

(a) carry out such investigations as the Secretary of State may require him to carry out for the purpose of—

(i) ascertaining whether any duty or other requirement imposed on that undertaker by or under any of sections 68 to 70 or section 79 above is being, has been or is likely to be contravened; or

(ii) advising the Secretary of State as to whether, and if so in what manner, any of the powers of the Secretary of State in relation to such a contravention, or any of the powers (including the powers to make regulations) which are conferred on him by or under any of sections 67 to 70 and 77 to 82 above should be exercised;

and

(b) make such reports to the Secretary of State with respect to any such investigation as the Secretary of State may require.

(3) Without prejudice to the powers conferred by subsection (4) below, it shall be the duty of a water undertaker—

(a) to give a person appointed under this section all such assistance; and

(b) to provide a person so appointed with all such information,

as that person may reasonably require for the purpose of carrying out any such investigation as is mentioned in subsection (2) above.

(4) Any person appointed under this section who is designated in writing for the purpose by the Secretary of State may—

(a) enter any premises for the purpose of carrying out any such investigation as is mentioned in subsection (2) above;

(b) carry out such inspections, measurements and tests on premises entered by that person or of articles or records found on any such premises, and take away such samples of water or of any land or articles, as that person considers appropriate for the purpose of enabling him to carry out any such investigation; or

(c) at any reasonable time require any water undertaker to supply him with copies of, or of extracts from, the contents of any records kept for the purpose of complying with any duty or other requirement imposed on that undertaker by or under any of sections 68 to 70 or section 79 above.

(5) Part II of Schedule 6 to this Act shall apply to the rights and powers conferred by subsection (4) above.

(6) Any water undertaker which fails to comply with the duty imposed on it by virtue of subsection (3) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.