Water Industry Act 1991

57 Duty to provide a supply of water etc. for fire-fighting. E+W

(1) It shall be the duty of a water undertaker to allow any person to take water for extinguishing fires from any of its water mains or other pipes on which a fire-hydrant is fixed.

(2) Every water undertaker shall, at the request of the [F1 fire and rescue authority] concerned, fix fire-hydrants on its water mains (other than its trunk mains) at such places as may be most convenient for affording a supply of water for extinguishing any fire which may break out within the area of the undertaker.

(3) It shall be the duty of every water undertaker to keep every fire-hydrant fixed on any of its water mains or other pipes in good working order and, for that purpose, to replace any such hydrant when necessary.

(4) It shall be the duty of a water undertaker to ensure that a [F1 fire and rescue authority] has been supplied by the undertaker with all such keys as the authority may require for the fire-hydrants fixed on the water mains or other pipes of the undertaker.

[F2 (4A) Where a fire-hydrant is removed (other than at the request of the fire authority concerned) by a water undertaker in the course of carrying out works in relation to any of its water mains or other pipes, the cost of replacing the fire-hydrant shall be borne by the undertaker.]

(5) Subject to [F3 subsection (5A) and] section 58(3) below, the expenses incurred by a water undertaker in complying with its obligations under subsections (2) to (4) above shall be borne by the [F4 fire and rescue authority] concerned.

[F5 (5A) Where a fire-hydrant is damaged as the result of any use made of it with the authority of a water undertaker, other than use for the purposes of fire-fighting or for any other purposes of a fire and rescue authority, the fire and rescue authority is not liable for the cost of repairing or replacing the hydrant.]

(6) Nothing in this section shall require a water undertaker to do anything which it is unable to do by reason of the carrying out of any necessary works.

(7) The obligations of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above by the Secretary of State.

(8) In addition, where a water undertaker is in breach of its obligations under this section, the undertaker shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

(9) In any proceedings against any water undertaker for an offence under subsection (8) above it shall be a defence for that undertaker to show that it took all reasonable steps and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence.

(10) F6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 57(2)(4) substituted (1.10.2004 for E. and 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), ss. 53, 61,{Sch. 1 para. 76(2)}; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2(2) (subject to savings in art. 3); S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2

F2 S. 57(4A) inserted (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 84(1), 105(3); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(v) (with art. 6, Sch. 3)

F3 Words in s. 57(5) inserted (1.10.2004 for E. and 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), ss. 53, 61,{Sch. 1 para. 76(3)(a)}; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2(2) (subject to savings in art. 3); S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2

F4 Words in s. 57(5) substituted (1.10.2004 for E. and 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), ss. 53, 61,{Sch. 1 para. 76(3)(b)}; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2(2) (subject to art. 2); S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2

F5 S. 57(5A) inserted (1.10.2004 for E. and 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), ss. 53, 61,{Sch. 1 para. 76(4)}; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2(2) (subject to savings in art. 3); S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2

F6 S. 57(10) repealed (1.10.2004 for E. and 10.11.2004 for W.) by Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), ss. 54, 61,{Sch. 2}; S.I. 2004/2304, art. 2(2) (subject to savings in art. 3); S.I. 2004/2917, art. 2