Water Act 1989

9 (1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, references in the Fire Services Act 1947 to statutory water undertakers or to water undertakers shall have effect as references to a water undertaker.

(2) In section 14 of that Act (supply of water by water undertakers)—

(a) in subsection (3), for the words before paragraph (a) there shall be substituted the words—

“The following provisions shall have effect in relation to any fire-hydrant for the time being provided by a water undertaker by being fixed on any pipe of the undertaker, that is to say”;

(b) for subsection (4) there shall be substituted the following subsection—

“(4) The obligations of a water undertaker under subsections (1) to (3) of this section or any agreement under subsection (1) of this section shall be enforceable under section 20 of the Water Act 1989 by the Secretary of State.”

(3) In section 15(2) of that Act (provision of water supply otherwise than by water undertakers), after the words “foregoing subsection” there shall be inserted the words “and without prejudice to sections 47(1) and 81(1) of the Water Act 1989”.

(4) In section 16 of that Act (notice to be given of proposed works affecting water supply and fire-hydrants)—

(a) in subsection (1), for paragraphs (a) and (b) there shall be substituted the words “not less than six weeks before the works are begun.”; and

(b) after subsection (2) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(3) Any authority or other person who, without reasonable excuse, fails within the required period to give any notice which he is required to give under this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.”

(5) After subsection (4) of section 30 of that Act (requirement by senior fire officer to provide a greater supply or pressure of water) there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(4A) Any water undertaker which, without reasonable excuse, fails to take any step which it is obliged to take by virtue of subsection (4) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.”