The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999

Powers of entry and inspection

25.—(1) Any person duly authorised by the Department may at any reasonable time enter any premises for the purpose of performing, whether in relation to those premises or not, any functions conferred on the Department under this Part.

(2) Any person duly authorised by the Department may at any reasonable time—

(a) enter any premises for the purpose of determining whether, and if so in what manner, any functions conferred on the Department under this Part are to be performed in relation to those premises, or whether any provision of this Part or of any regulations made under this Part has been complied with; and

(b) carry out such inspections, surveys, measurements and tests on any premises entered by that person or of any articles found on any such premises, and take away such samples of water or effluent or of any land or articles, as the Department—

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

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

(3) The Department may by regulations make provision as to the procedure to be followed in connection with the taking of, and the dealing with, samples under paragraph (2).

(4) The powers which by virtue of paragraph (2) are conferred in relation to any premises for the purpose of enabling the Department to determine whether any provision of this Part or of any regulations made under this Part has been complied with, 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.

(5) The Department may, after consulting the occupier of any land or owner of any vehicle, vessel or mobile plant from which effluent is discharged, fix the points at which samples are to be taken of effluent passing into a waterway or underground strata.

(6) If it is shown to the satisfaction of a justice of the peace on sworn complaint in writing—

(a) that admission to any premises which any person is entitled to enter under this Article has been refused to that person, or that refusal is apprehended, or that the premises are unoccupied or that the occupier is temporarily absent, or that the case is one of urgency, or that an application for admission would defeat the object of the entry; and

(b) that there is reasonable ground for entry upon the premises for the purpose for which entry is required;

the justice may by warrant under his hand authorise that person to enter the premises, if need be by force.

(7) A warrant granted under paragraph (6) shall continue in force until the purpose for which entry is required has been satisfied.

(8) The power conferred by paragraph (2)(b) shall be exercisable for the purpose of inspecting any documents in the possession of any body relating to the functions of the body, and the person carrying out any such inspection may take copies of, or extracts from, any such documents.