Water Industry Act 1991

171 Entry for sewerage purposes. E+W

(1) Any person designated in writing for the purpose by a sewerage undertaker shall, on producing any duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right to enter any premises at all reasonable hours-

(a) for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is or has been, on or in connection with the premises, any contravention of any of the relevant sewerage provisions which it is the function of the undertaker to enforce;

(b) for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not circumstances exist which would authorise or require the undertaker to take any action or carry out any works under any of the relevant sewerage provisions;

(c) for the purpose of taking action or carrying out any works authorised by or under any of the relevant sewerage provisions to be taken or carried out by the undertaker;

(d) generally for the purpose of carrying out the undertaker’s functions under the relevant sewerage provisions.

(2) Part I of Schedule 6 to this Act shall apply to the right of entry conferred by subsection (1) above.

(3) Any person designated by a sewerage undertaker under subsection (1) above for the purpose of exercising any power under this section for the purposes of Chapter III of Part IV of this Act may, on any occasion on which he so exercises that power in relation to any premises, obtain and take away any sample of any trade effluent which is passing (either directly or through [F1 a drain or private sewer]) from those premises into any of the undertaker’s public sewers.

F2 (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F2 (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) In this section “trade effluent” and “trade premises” have the same meanings as in Chapter III of Part IV of this Act; and, accordingly, section 139 above shall have effect for the purposes of this section as it has effect for the purposes of that Chapter.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 171(3) substituted (28.5.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 97(6), 105(3); S.I. 2004/641, art. 4(b) (with Sch. 3 para. 7)

F2 S. 171(4)(5) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 111(1)(c), 120(3), Sch. 24 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3