Water (Scotland) Act 1980

Sections 22, 24.

SCHEDULE 3S Provisions as to Breaking Open Streets and Laying Communication and Supply Pipes

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Part IS

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Provisions as to breaking open streets, etc.S

Power to break open streets.S

1Subject to the provisions of this Part of this Schedule, [F1Scottish Water]F2 may, F2 for the purpose of laying, constructing, inspecting, repairing, altering, renewing or removing mains, service pipes, plant or other works, F2, break open [F3a road], and any cellar or vault below any [F4road], and any sewer, drain or tunnel in or under any such [F5road], and may remove and use the soil or other materials in or under any such [F5road]:

Provided that [F6it] shall in the exercise of the powers conferred by this paragraph cause as little inconvenience and do as little damage as may be, and for any damage done shall pay compensation to be determined, in case of dispute, by arbitration.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in Sch. 3 para. 1 substituted (1.4.2002 subject to art. 3 of the commencing S.S.I.) by Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 3), s. 71(1), Sch. 6 para. 66(2)(a) (with s. 67); S.S.I. 2002/118, art. 2(3)

F6Word in Sch. 3 para. 1 in proviso substituted (1.4.2002 subject to art. 3 of the commencing S.S.I.) by Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 3), s. 71(1), Sch. 6 para. 66(2)(b) (with s. 67); S.S.I. 2002/118, art. 2(3)

Protection for railway companies, navigation authorities, tramway undertakers, etc.S

2(1)Except in cases of emergency arising from defects in existing pipes, plant or works, [F7a private road] under the control or management of, or maintainable by, a railway company or navigation authority shall not be broken open without their consent, but that consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, and any question whether or not consent is unreasonably withheld shall be referred to and determined by the Secretary of State.

(2)Where [F8Scottish Water proposes] to break open [F9any length of road] which forms a level-crossing belonging to persons not being a railway company or navigation authority and which is not under the control or management of a railway company or navigation authority, [F10it] shall give to those persons the like notice as is referred to in [F11section 114 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991] and, if and in so far as the proposed work is likely to affect the structure of any bridge or other works belonging to those persons, shall carry out the work to the reasonable satisfaction of the engineer or other authorised officer acting on behalf of those persons in accordance with plans approved by him.

Any dispute arising under this sub-paragraph between [F12Scottish Water]F13 and those persons shall be determined by arbitration.

(3)For the protection of persons entitled to the benefit of section 32 of the M1Tramways Act 1870 (which relates to the rights of authorities and companies, etc., to open roads) that section shall be construed as applying to operations authorised by the special Act, and in the said section as so applied any reference to a tramway shall be construed as including a reference to a trolley vehicle system.

(4)Nothing contained in this paragraph for the protection of owners of level-crossings shall affect the decision of any question which may arise as to the legality of the construction of, or the right to continue, any level-crossing.

Textual Amendments

Marginal Citations

3S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14

Textual Amendments

Part IIS

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

Provisions as to laying communication and supply pipes, etc.S

Power to lay service pipes, etc.S

4(1)[F15Scottish Water] may in any [F16road] lay such service pipes with such stopcocks and other fittings as [F17it deems] necessary for supplying water to premises F18, and may from time to time inspect, repair, alter or renew and may at any time remove any service pipe laid in a [F16road] whether by virtue of this section or otherwise:

Provided that before exercising any of the powers conferred by this paragraph, [F19Scottish Water] shall, except in cases of emergency arising from defects in any existing pipes, plant or works, give [F20such] notice, to [F21—

(i)

where the road is a public road, the roads authority; and

(ii)

in any other case, the authority or person responsible for the maintenance of the road, or, if no authority or person is so responsible, to the owners of the solum of the road][F22as would require to be given by an undertaker under section 114 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 (notice of starting date of works) in accordance with that section and with section 156 of that Act (service of notice)].

(2)Where a service pipe has been lawfully laid in, on or over any land not forming part of a [F23road], [F24Scottish Water] may from time to time enter upon that land and inspect, repair, alter, renew or remove the then existing pipe or lay a new pipe in substitution therefor, but shall pay compensation for any damage done by them.

Any dispute as to the amount of compensation to be paid under this sub-paragraph shall be determined by arbitration.

Textual Amendments

Laying of supply pipes, etc.S

5An owner or occupier of any premises F25 who desires to have a supply of water for his domestic purposes from the waterworks of [F26Scottish Water] shall, subject as hereinafter provided, comply with the following requirements:

(a)he shall give to [F27Scottish Water] 14 days’ notice of his intention to lay the necessary supply pipe; and

(b)he shall lay the supply pipe at his own expense, having first obtained, as respects any land not forming part of a [F28road], the consent of the owners and occupiers thereof:

Provided that, where any part of the supply pipe is to be laid in a [F28road], he shall not himself break open the [F28road] or lay that part of the pipe.

Textual Amendments

Laying of communication pipes, etc.S

6(1)Upon receipt of such a notice as is referred to in the last foregoing paragraph, [F29Scottish Water] shall, within 14 days after the person by whom the notice was given has laid a supply pipe in accordance with the provisions of the last foregoing paragraph, lay the necessary communication pipe and any part of the supply pipe which is to be laid in a [F30road] and shall connect the communication pipe with the supply pipe:

Provided that, where any part of the supply pipe is to be laid in a [F30road], [F31it] may elect to lay a main in the [F30road] for such distance as [F32it thinks] fit in lieu of a supply pipe, and in that case shall lay a communication pipe from that main and connect it with the supply pipe.

(2)The whole, or such part as [F33Scottish Water] may think fit, of the expenses reasonably incurred by [F34Scottish Water] in executing the work which [F35it is] required or authorised by this paragraph to execute shall be repaid to [F36it] by the person by whom the notice was given and may be recovered by [F36it] from him:

Provided that, if under the provisions of this paragraph [F37Scottish Water lays] a main in lieu of part of a supply pipe, the additional cost incurred in laying a main instead of a supply pipe shall be borne by [F36it] .

(3)Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, [F38where such a notice as aforesaid is given to Scottish Water, it] may, within seven days after the receipt thereof, require the person giving the notice either to pay to [F39it] in advance the cost of the work, as estimated by [F40its] engineer, or to give security for payment thereof to [F40its] satisfaction, and, where [F41it makes] such a requirement, the period of 14 days referred to in sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph shall not commence to run until the requirement has been complied with.

If any payment so made to [F42Scottish Water] exceeds the expenses which under the foregoing provisions of this paragraph [F43it] would be entitled to recover from the person giving the notice, the excess shall be repaid by [F39it] , and, if and so far as those expenses are not covered by the payment, [F43it] may recover the balance from him.

Textual Amendments

Power of authority to require separate service pipes.S

7(1)Subject to the provisions of this paragraph [F44Scottish Water] may require the provision of a separate service pipe for each house supplied, or to be supplied by [F45it] , with water.

(2)If, in the case of a house already supplied with water but not having a separate service pipe, [F46Scottish Water gives] notice to the owner of the house, requiring the provision of such a pipe, the owner shall within [F47such period of not less than three months as the notice shall specify] lay so much of the required pipe as will constitute a supply pipe and is not required to be laid in a [F48road], and [F49Scottish Water] shall, within 14 days after he has done so, lay so much of the required pipe as will constitute a communication pipe or a supply pipe to be laid in a [F48road] and make all necessary connections.

(3)If an owner upon whom a notice has been served under the last foregoing sub-paragraph fails to comply therewith, [F50Scottish Water] may [F51itself] execute the work which he was required to execute.

(4)The expenses reasonably incurred by [F52Scottish Water] in executing the work which [F53it is] required by sub-paragraph (2) to execute, or which [F53it is] empowered by the last foregoing sub-paragraph to execute, shall be repaid to [F54it] by the owner of the house and may be recovered by [F54it] from him, but without prejudice to the rights and obligations as between themselves, of the owner and occupier of the house.

(5)Where two or more houses are being supplied with water by a single service pipe, [F55Scottish Water] shall not require the provision of separate service pipes for those houses until F56—

(a)the existing supply pipe becomes so defective as to require renewal, or is no longer sufficient to meet the requirements of the houses; or

(b)the houses are, by structural alterations to one or more of them, converted into a larger number of houses. [F57; or

(c)the owner or occupier of any of the houses has interfered with, or allowed another person to interfere with, the existing service pipe or the stop-cock fixed to that pipe and has thereby caused the supply of water to any of the houses to be interfered with; or

(d)[F58Scottish Water has] reasonable grounds to believe that such interference as is mentioned in (c) above is likely to take place.]

Textual Amendments

F598S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

Provisions as to the position of stopcocks.S

9(1)On every service pipe laid after 16th May 1946 [F60Scottish Water] shall, and on every service pipe laid before that date [F60Scottish Water] may, fit a stopcock enclosed in a covered box, or pit, of such size as may be reasonably necessary.

(2)Every stopcock fitted on a service pipe after 16th May 1946 shall be placed in such position as [F61Scottish Water deems] most convenient:

Provided that—

(a)a stopcock in private premises shall be placed as near as is reasonably practicable to the [F62road] from which the service pipe enters those premises; and

(b)a stopcock in a [F62road] shall, after consultation with the [F63roads] authority concerned, be placed as near to the boundary thereof as is reasonably practicable.

Textual Amendments