Water Resources Act 1991

160 Power to lay pipes in other land. E+W

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Part, the [F1 Agency] shall, for the purpose of carrying out its functions, have power—

(a) to lay a relevant pipe (whether above or below the surface) in any land which is not in, under or over a street and to keep that pipe there;

(b) to inspect, maintain, adjust, repair or alter any relevant pipe which is in any such land;

(c) to carry out any works requisite for, or incidental to, the purposes of any works falling within paragraph (a) or (b) above.

[F2 (1A) The Agency may carry out work within subsection (1)(a) to (c) if—

(a) it thinks the work desirable having regard to the national flood and coastal erosion risk management strategies under sections 7 and 8 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, and

(b) the purpose of the work is to manage a flood risk (within the meaning of that Act) from (i) the sea, or (ii) a main river.]

(2) The powers conferred by this section shall be exercisable only after reasonable notice of the proposed exercise of the power has been given to the owner and to the occupier of the land where the power is to be exercised.

(3) Subject to subsection (4) below, in relation to any exercise of the powers conferred by this section for the purpose of laying or altering a relevant pipe, the minimum period that is capable of constituting reasonable notice for the purposes of subsection (2) above shall be deemed—

(a) where the power is exercised for the purpose of laying a relevant pipe otherwise than in substitution for an existing pipe of the same description, to be three months; and

(b) where the power is exercised for the purpose of altering an existing pipe, to be forty-two days.

(4) In this section references to a relevant pipe are references to a resource main or discharge pipe; and subsection (7) of section 159 above shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 160 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. 160(1A) inserted (19.7.2011 for E.) by Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (c. 29), s. 49(3), Sch. 2 para. 46 (with s. 49(1)(6)); S.I. 2011/1770, art. 3(f)