Water Industry Act 1991

47 Conditions of connection with water main

(1) Subject to subsection (3) and sections 48 to 50 below, where the owner or occupier of any premises (“the relevant premises”) serves a connection notice on a water undertaker, the undertaker may make compliance with one or more of the requirements specified in subsection (2) below a condition of its complying with the duties to which it is subject by virtue of that notice.

(2) The requirements mentioned in subsection (1) above are—

(a) a requirement that such security as the undertaker may reasonably require has been provided for the discharge of any obligations imposed by virtue of section 45(6) or 46(7)(b) above on the person who served the connection notice;

(b) a requirement, in a case where the connection required by the connection notice is necessary as a consequence of a disconnection made by reason of any person’s failure to pay any charges, that the person serving the connection notice has paid any amount owed by him to the undertaker—

(i) in respect of a supply of water to the relevant premises; or

(ii) in respect of expenses incurred in the making of the disconnection;

(c) a requirement that a meter for use in determining the amount of any charges which have been or may be fixed in relation to the relevant premises by reference to volume has been installed and connected either—

(i) by the undertaker; or

(ii) in accordance with specifications approved by the undertaker;

(d) a requirement that—

(i) so much of the service pipe to the relevant premises as does not belong to, or fall to be laid by, the undertaker; and

(ii) the plumbing of the premises,

comply with specifications approved by the undertaker for the purpose of ensuring that it will be reasonably practicable for such a meter as is mentioned in paragraph (c) above to be installed and connected as so mentioned;

(e) a requirement that a separate service pipe has been provided—

(i) to each house or building on the relevant premises; or

(ii) where different parts of a building on the relevant premises are separately occupied, to each of those parts or to any of them;

(f) a requirement, in relation to the relevant premises—

(i) that such a requirement as may be imposed under section 66 below has been complied with; or

(ii) in a case where such a requirement could be imposed but for there already being such a cistern as is mentioned in that section, that the cistern and its float-operated valve are in good repair;

(g) a requirement that there is no contravention in relation to the water fittings used or to be used in connection with—

(i) the supply of water to the relevant premises; or

(ii) the use of water in those premises,

of such of the requirements of regulations under section 74 below as are prescribed for the purposes of this paragraph; and

(h) a requirement that every such step has been taken as has been specified in any notice served on any person under section 75 below in relation to the relevant premises.

(3) A condition shall not be imposed by a water undertaker under this section on a person who has served a connection notice except by a counter-notice served on that person before the end of the period of fourteen days beginning with the day after the service of the connection notice.

(4) This section shall be without prejudice to the provisions of sections 233 and 372 of the [1986 c. 45.] Insolvency Act 1986 (conditions of supply after insolvency).