Water Resources Act 1991

1 (1) Without prejudice to any power exercisable by virtue of a warrant under this Schedule, no person shall make an entry into any premises or vessel by virtue of any power conferred by sections 169 to 172 of this Act except— E+W

(a) in an emergency; or

(b) at a reasonable time and after the required notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier of the premises or vessel.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph the required notice is seven days’ notice; but such notice shall not be required in the case of an exercise of a power conferred by section 169 or 172 above, except where the premises in question are residential premises, the vessel in question is used for residential purposes or the entry in question is to be with heavy equipment.

(3) For the purposes of the application of this paragraph to the power conferred by section 170 of this Act the reference in sub-paragraph (1) above to an emergency—

(a) in relation to any entry to premises for the purposes of, or for purposes connected with, the exercise or proposed exercise of any power in relation to a street, includes a reference to any circumstances requiring the carrying out of emergency works within the meaning of Part III of the M1 New Roads and Street Works Act 1991; and

(b) in relation to any other entry to premises, includes a reference to any danger to property and to any interruption of a supply of water provided to any premises by any person and to any interruption of the provision of sewerage services to any premises.

(4) Until the coming into force of section 52 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, sub-paragraph (3) above shall have effect as if the reference to Part III of that Act were a reference to the M2 Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950; but nothing in this sub-paragraph shall be taken to prejudice the power of the Secretary of State under that Act of 1991 to make an order bringing that section 52 into force on different days for different purposes (including the purposes of this paragraph).

Marginal Citations

M1 1991 c. 22.

M2 1950 c. 39.