Water Act 1973

32 Meters

(1) In any case where charges are payable to a water authority by reference to the volume of water supplied to any premises or the volume of effluent discharged therefrom (whether or not the charges are payable by reference to any other factors), the authority may install on those premises a meter for measuring that volume, and the register of the meter shall, subject to the provisions of any regulations under this section, be prima facie evidence of that volume.

(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision with respect to the installation of meters, whether under this section or otherwise, their connection and disconnection and their maintenance, authentication and testing and other related matters, and a statutory instrument containing regulations under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(3) Any officer authorised by a water authority may at all reasonable times, on the production of some duly authenticated document showing his authority, enter any premises in the water authority's area in which there is a service pipe connected with the water authority's main, or a drain or private sewer connected with a public sewer, for the purpose of—

(a) installing meters under this section, or connecting or disconnecting them;

(b) inspecting or examining any such meters, together with any ancillary fittings and associated works, and ascertaining from any such meter the volume of water supplied or effluent discharged ;

but admission to any premises shall not be demanded as of right unless twenty-four hours' notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier.

(4) If it is shown to the satisfaction of a justice of the peace on sworn information in writing—

(a) that admission to any premises has been refused or that refusal is reasonably apprehended, or that the premises are unoccupied, or that the occupier is temporarily absent, or that the case is one of urgency, or that an application for admission would defeat the object of entry; and

(b) that there is reasonable ground for entry into the premises for any purpose mentioned in subsection (3) above;

the justice may by warrant authorise the water authority by any authorised officer to enter the premises, if need be by force, but shall not issue such a warrant unless he is satisfied that notice of the intention to apply for it has been given to the occupier, or that the premises are unoccupied, or that the occupier is temporarily absent, or that the case is one of urgency, or that the giving of such a notice would defeat the object of the entry.

(5) An authorised officer entering any premises by virtue of this section or any warrant issued thereunder may take with him such other persons as may be necessary, and on leaving any unoccupied premises which he has so entered shall leave them as effectually secured against trespassers as he found them.

(6) Every warrant under this section shall continue in force until the purpose for which the entry is necessary has been satisfied.

(7) If any person who in compliance with the provisions of this section or a warrant thereunder is admitted into a factory or workplace discloses to any person any information obtained by him in the factory or workplace with regard to any manufacturing process or trade secret, he shall, unless the disclosure was made in the performance of his duty, be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine and on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £400.

(8) A person who wilfully obstructs another person exercising any power conferred by this section or any warrant thereunder shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50.

(9) In this section—

• " drain " has the same meaning as in the [1936 c. 49.] Public Health Act 1936;

• " effluent " means any liquid, with or without particles of matter in suspension therein ; and

• " main " and " service pipe " have the same meanings as in Schedule 3 to the [1945 c. 42.] Water Act 1945.