Water Resources Act 1991

CHAPTER II E+W POWERS OF ENTRY

169 Powers of entry for enforcement purposes. E+W

(1) Any person designated in writing for the purpose by either of the Ministers or by the [F1 Agency] may—

(a) enter any premises or vessel for the purpose of ascertaining whether any provision of an enactment to which this section applies, of any subordinate legislation or other instrument made by virtue of any such enactment or of any byelaws made by the [F1 Agency] is being or has been contravened; and

(b) carry out such inspections, measurements and tests on any premises or vessel entered by that person or of any articles found on any such premises or vessel, and take away such samples of water or effluent or of any land or articles, as that Minister or the [F1 Agency]—

(i) considers appropriate for the purpose mentioned in paragraph (a) above; and

(ii) has authorised that person to carry out or take away.

[F2 (2) The powers conferred by subsection (1) above in relation to any premises shall include power, in order to obtain information for the purpose mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above—

(a) to carry out experimental borings or other works on those premises; and

(b) to install and keep monitoring and other apparatus there.]

(3) [F3 Subject to subsection (4) below,]this section applies to any enactment contained in this Act and to any other enactment under or for the purposes of which the [F1 Agency] carries out functions.

F4 [(4) The powers conferred by this section shall not have effect for the purposes of any of the Agency’s pollution control functions, within the meaning of section 108 of the 1995 Act.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 169 substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F2 S. 169(2) substituted (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 71, 105(3); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(r) (with Sch. 3 paras. 6 7)

F3 Words in s. 169(3) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 165 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F4 S. 169(4) added (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 165 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

170 Power of entry for certain works purposes. E+W

(1) Any person designated in writing for the purpose by the [F5 Agency] may enter any premises for any of the purposes specified in subsection (2) below.

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

(a) the carrying out of any survey or tests for the purpose of determining—

(i) whether it is appropriate and practicable for the [Agency] to exercise any relevant works power; or

(ii) how any such power should be exercised;

(b) the exercise of any such power.

(3) The power by virtue of subsection (1) above of a person designated by the [F5 Agency] to enter any premises for the purposes of carrying out any survey or tests shall include power—

(a) to carry out experimental borings or other works for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the sub-soil; and

(b) to take away and analyse such samples of water or effluent or of any land or articles as the [Agency] considers necessary for the purpose of determining either of the matters mentioned in subsection (2)(a) above and has authorised that person to take away and analyse.

(4) In this section “relevant works power” means any power conferred by any of the provisions of sections 159, 160, 162(2) and (3) and 163 above.

Textual Amendments

F5 Words in s. 170 substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

171 Power to carry out surveys and to search for water. E+W

(1) Without prejudice to the rights and powers conferred by the other provisions of this Chapter, any person designated in writing under this section by the [F6 Agency] may enter any premises for any of the purposes specified in subsection (2) below.

(2) The purposes mentioned in subsection (1) above are the carrying out of any survey or tests for the purpose of determining—

(a) whether it would be appropriate for the [F6 Agency] to acquire any land, or any interest or right in or over land, for purposes connected with the carrying out of its functions; or

(b) whether it would be appropriate for the [F6 Agency] to apply for an order under section 168 above and what compulsory powers it would be appropriate to apply for under that section.

(3) The power by virtue of subsection (1) above of a person designated under this section to enter any premises for the purpose of carrying out any survey or tests shall include power—

(a) to carry out experimental borings or other works for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the sub-soil, the presence of underground water in the sub-soil or the quantity or quality of any such water;

(b) to install and keep monitoring or other apparatus on the premises for the purpose of obtaining the information on which any such determination as is mentioned in subsection (2) above may be made; and

(c) to take away and analyse such samples of water or of any land or articles as the [F6 Agency] considers necessary for any of the purposes so mentioned and has authorised that person to take away and analyse.

(4) The powers conferred by this section shall not be exercised in any case for purposes connected with the determination of—

(a) whether, where or how a reservoir should be constructed; or

(b) whether, where or how a borehole should be sunk for the purpose of abstracting water from or discharging water into any underground strata,

unless the Secretary of State has, in accordance with subsection (5) below, given his written authorisation in relation to that case for the exercise of those powers for those purposes.

(5) The Secretary of State shall not give his authorisation for the purposes of subsection (4) above unless—

(a) he is satisfied that notice of the proposal to apply for the authorisation has been given to the owner and to the occupier of the premises in question; and

(b) he has considered any representation or objections with respect to the proposed exercise of the powers under this section which—

(i) have been duly made to him by the owner or occupier of those premises, within the period of fourteen days beginning with the day after the giving of the notice; and

(ii) have not been withdrawn.

Textual Amendments

F6 Words in s. 171 substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

172 Powers of entry for other purposes. E+W

(1) Any person designated in writing for the purpose by either of the Ministers or the [F7 Agency] may enter any premises or vessel for the purpose of—

(a) determining whether, and if so in what manner, any power or duty conferred or imposed on either of the Ministers or on the [F7 Agency] by virtue of any enactment to which this section applies (including a power of either or both of the Ministers to make subordinate legislation) should be exercised or, as the case may be, performed; or

(b) exercising or performing any power or duty which is so conferred or imposed.

(2) Any person designated in writing for the purpose by either of the Ministers or the [F7 Agency] may—

(a) carry out such inspections, measurements and tests on any premises or vessel entered by that person under this section or of any articles found on any such premises or vessel; and

(b) take away such samples of water or effluent or of any land or articles,

as that Minister or the [F7 Agency] considers appropriate for any purpose mentioned in subsection (1) above and has authorised that person to carry out or take away.

(3) [F8 Subject to subsection (3A) below,]the powers which by virtue of subsections (1) and (2) above are conferred in relation to any premises for the purpose of enabling either of the Ministers or the [F7 Agency] to determine whether or in what manner to exercise or perform any power or duty conferred or imposed on him or it by or under the water pollution provisions of this Act shall include power, in order to obtain the information on which that determination may be made—

(a) to carry out experimental borings or other works on those premises; and

(b) to install and keep monitoring and other apparatus there.

[F9 (3A) The powers conferred by this section shall not have effect for the purposes of any of the Agency’s pollution control functions, within the meaning of section 108 of the 1995 Act.]

(4) This section applies to any enactment contained in this Act and to any other enactment under or for the purposes of which the [F7 Agency] carries out functions.

Textual Amendments

F7 Words in s. 172 substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F8 Words in s. 172(3) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 166 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F9 S. 172(3A) added (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 166 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

173 Powers of entry: supplemental provisions. E+W

Schedule 20 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the powers of entry and related powers which are conferred by the preceding provisions of this Chapter.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 173 applied (with modifications) (2.7.2009) by Broads Authority Act 2009 (c. i), s. 24(3) (with ss. 2(3), 16(3), 41(4), 42, Sch. 6)

C2 S. 173 applied (with modifications) (2.7.2009) by Broads Authority Act 2009 (c. i), s. 17(3) (with ss. 2(3), 16(3), 42, Sch. 6)

174 Impersonation of persons exercising powers of entry. E+W

(1) A person who, without having been designated or authorised for the purpose by the [F10 Agency], purports to be entitled to enter any premises or vessel in exercise of a power exercisable in pursuance of any such designation or authorisation shall be guilty of an offence and [F11 liable—].

[F11 (a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.]

(2) For the purposes of this section it shall be immaterial, where a person purports to be entitled to enter any premises or vessel, that the power which that person purports to be entitled to exercise does not exist, or would not be exercisable, even if that person had been designated or authorised by the [F10 Agency].

Textual Amendments

F10 Words in s.174 substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F11 S. 174(1)(a)(b) and the word preceding them substituted (1.4.1996) for words by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 167 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3