Water (Scotland) Act 1980

PART VIII Pollution of water by manufacture of gas, etc.

Provisions as to pollution by liquids resulting from manufacture of gas, etc.

37 Any person engaged in the manufacture or supply of gas, whether under statutory authority or not, or in any of the manufactures or trades mentioned in this subsection who—

(a) causes or suffers any washing or other liquid produced in, or resulting from, the manufacture or supply of gas, or the treatment of any residual products of die manufacture of gas, or any product, washing or other substance produced in the manufacture of naphtha, vitriol, paraffin, dye stuffs or other deleterious substance or in any trade in which the refuse produced in any such manufacture is used, to run or be conducted—

(i) into, or into any drain communicating with, any stream, reservoir, aqueduct or other waterworks belonging to the undertakers ; or

(ii) into any depression in the ground or excavation in such proximity to any spring, well or adit belonging to the undertakers that contamination of water there is reasonably probable ; or

(b) wilfully does any other act connected with the manufacture or supply of gas or the treatment of any such residual products as aforesaid, or connected with any of the other manufactures or trades specified as aforesaid whereby any water of the undertakers is fouled,

shall be liable—

(a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £50 and to a further fine not exceeding £25 for each day during which his offence continues after conviction therefor ; or

(b) on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months or to a fine and to a further fine for each such day as aforesaid.

Provision as to pollution by gas.

38 If water belonging to the undertakers is fouled by gas belonging to any person manufacturing or supplying gas, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £50, and to a further fine not exceeding £25 for each day during which his offence continues after conviction therefor.

Power to examine pipes and other works to ascertain source of pollution.

39 (1) For the purpose of ascertaining whether water belonging to them is being fouled by gas or otherwise, the undertakers may open the ground, and examine any pipes or other works from which they have reason to suspect that their water is being fouled:

Provided that, before proceeding so to do, they shall give 24 hours' notice of the time at which the examination is intended to take place both to the owners of the pipes or other works and also to the persons having the control or management of the street or other place where they propose to open the ground, and shall be subject to the like obligations and liable to the same penalties in relation to reinstatement, maintenance and other matters as those to which they are subject and liable when breaking open streets for the purpose of laying water pipes.

(2) If, upon such examination as aforesaid, it appears that water of the undertakers has been fouled by gas or otherwise from pipes or other works, the undertakers may recover from the owner of such pipes or other works the expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with the examination and the repair of the street or place disturbed in the examination, but otherwise the undertakers shall pay all expenses of the examination and repair, and shall also make good to the said owner any injury which may be occasioned to his pipes or other works by the examination.

The amount of the expenses of any such examination and repair, and of any injury so occasioned, shall in case of dispute be determined by arbitration.