Water Industry Act 1991

80 Remedial powers of local authorities in relation to private supplies. E+W

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, where a local authority are satisfied in relation to any premises in their area which are supplied with water for domestic or food production purposes by means of a private supply—

(a) that any water which is being, has been or is likely to be supplied for those purposes to those premises by means of that private supply is not, was not or, as the case may be, is likely not to be wholesome; or

(b) that that private supply is failing, has failed or is likely to fail to provide to any house on those premises such a supply of wholesome water as (so far as that house is concerned) is sufficient for domestic purposes,

the authority may serve a notice in relation to that private supply on one or more of the relevant persons.

(2) A notice under this section in relation to a private supply of water to any premises shall-

(a) give particulars of the matters mentioned in subsection (1) above in respect of which the notice is served;

(b) specify the steps which, in the opinion of the authority serving the notice, are required to be taken for ensuring that there is a supply of water to those premises which is both wholesome and (so far as any house on those premises is concerned) sufficient for domestic purposes;

(c) specify a period, ending not less than twenty-eight days after the day on which the notice is served, within which any representations or objections with respect to the notice must be received by that authority; and

(d) state the effect in relation to that notice of section 81(2) and (3) below.

(3) Subject to sections 81 and 82 below, where a local authority serve a notice under this section on any relevant person they may do one or more of the following, that is to say—

(a) by that notice designate as steps to be taken by the authority themselves such of the steps specified in the notice as they consider it appropriate so to designate;

(b) by that notice require that person, within such reasonable period as may be specified in the notice, to take one or more of the steps so specified;

(c) by that notice require that person, at such times as may be determined in accordance with provision contained in the notice, to make to another relevant person or to that authority such payments as may be so determined in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by that other person or that authority in taking any step specified in the notice;

(d) by that notice undertake from time to time to make such payments to that person as may be so determined in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by that person in taking any step specified in the notice.

(4) The power of a local authority to serve a notice under this section specifying the steps which are required to be taken in relation to any source from which a private supply is provided both to premises in the area of that authority and to premises in the area of another local authority shall be exercisable only where—

(a) the other authority consent to the service of the notice; or

(b) the authorities act jointly in exercising their respective powers under this section in relation to that source.

(5) The powers conferred by this section and sections 81 and 82 below shall be so exercised in relation to a private supply of water to any premises where there is no house as to secure that no local authority are required to bear any of the expenses incurred (whether by the authority or by any other person) in taking any of the steps for ensuring that the supply is wholesome which are specified in a notice under this section.

(6) The steps that a relevant person may be required by a notice under this section to take in relation to any premises shall include—

(a) requiring a supply of water to be provided to those premises by a water undertaker or by any other person; and

(b) taking such steps for the purpose of securing that such a requirement is complied with, and of enabling such a supply to be so provided, as may be specified in the notice.

(7) For the purposes of this section and sections 81 to 83 below the relevant persons, in relation to a private supply of water to any premises in the area of a local authority, are—

(a) the owners and occupiers of those premises; and

(b) whether or not the source of the private supply is in that authority’s area, the owners and occupiers of the premises where that source is situated and any other person who exercises powers of management or control in relation to that source;

and in sections 81 to 83 below a notice under this section is referred to as a private supply notice.