London Underground (Safety Measures) Act 1991

12 Use of sewers, etc., for removing water

(1) The Company may use for the discharge of any water pumped or found by them during the construction of the works any available stream or watercourse, or any sewer or drain of a relevant authority in or through whose area the works may be constructed or pass, and for that purpose may lay down, take up and alter conduits, pipes and other works and make any convenient connections with any such stream, watercourse, sewer or drain within the limits of deviation but—

(a) the Company shall not discharge any water into any sewer or drain vested in or under the control of a relevant authority except with the consent of the relevant authority and subject to such terms and conditions as the relevant authority may reasonably impose; and

(b) the Company shall not make any opening into any such sewer or drain save in accordance with plans approved by, and under the superintendence (if given) of, the relevant authority in whom the sewer or drain shall be vested and approval of those plans by the relevant authority shall not be unreasonably withheld.

(2)

(a) Section 107 of the [1989 c. 15.] Water Act 1989 shall apply to, or to the consequence of, a discharge under the powers of this section into any controlled waters within the meaning given by section 103 of that Act as if this section were not a local statutory provision for the purposes of section 108 (1) (d) of that Act.

(b) In the exercise of their powers under this section the Company shall not damage or interfere with the bed of any watercourse forming part of a main river or the banks thereof within the meaning of section 116 of the [1976 c. 70.] Land Drainage Act 1976.

(3) The Company shall take all steps as may reasonably be required to secure that any water discharged by them under the powers of this section shall be as free as may be reasonably practicable from any gravel, soil or other solid substance or oil or matter in suspension.

(4) Any difference arising between the Company and a relevant authority under this section shall be settled by arbitration.

(5) In this section “relevant authority” means Thames Water Utilities Limited, the National Rivers Authority or a London borough council.