Water (Scotland) Act 1980

76I Incidental powers of local authorities. S

(1) Subject to [F1 subsections (5) and (6)] below, a local authority may serve on any person a notice requiring him to furnish that authority, within a period or at times specified in the notice and in a form and manner so specified, with such information as is reasonably required by that authority for the purpose of exercising or performing any power or duty conferred or imposed on that authority by or under any of sections 76F to 76H above.

(2) [F2 Subject to subsection (6) below,] any person designated in writing for the purpose by any local authority may—

(a) enter any premises for the purpose, in relation to any private supply, of—

(i) determining whether, and if so in what manner, any power or duty conferred or imposed on that authority by or under any of sections 76F to 76H above should be exercised or performed; or

(ii) exercising any such power or performing any such duty;

(b) enter any premises to which a supply of water is provided by [F3 Scottish Water] for the purpose, in relation to a supply so provided, of determining whether, and if so in what manner, such a power should be exercised or such a duty performed or of exercising such a power or performing such a duty; or

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

(i) consider appropriate for the purposes of any such power or duty; and

(ii) have authorised that person to carry out or take away,

and the provisions of subsections (3) to (7) of section 38 shall apply to the right of entry given by this subsection to any person designated by a local authority as they apply to the right of entry of an authorised officer of [F4 Scottish Water] .

(3) Entry into any premises shall not be demanded as of right by virtue of this section except—

(a) in an emergency, or

(b) at a reasonable time and after 24 hours’ notice of the intended entry has been given to the occupier of the premises.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for restricting the information which may be required under subsection (1) above and for determining the form in which the information is to be so required.

(5) A person who fails to comply with the requirements of a notice served on him under subsection (1) above shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale; and it shall be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this subsection to show that he had a reasonable excuse.

[F5 (6) The foregoing provisions of this section do not apply as respects, but are without prejudice to the exercise of, a power conferred by section 76H(5)(b) above.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 76I(1) substituted (4.1.1995) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 119(44)(a); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 3(c)

F2 Words in s. 76I(2) inserted (4.1.1995) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 119(44)(b); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 3(c)

F3 Words in s. 76I(2) substituted (1.4.2002) by Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 3), s. 71(1), Sch. 6 para. 57 (with s. 67); S.S.I. 2002/118, art. 2(3)

F4 Words in s. 76I(2) substituted (1.4.2002) by Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 3), s. 71(1), Sch. 6 para. 57 (with s. 67); S.S.I. 2002/118, art. 2(3)

F5 S. 76I(6) added (4.1.1995) by 1994 c. 39, s. 180(1), Sch. 13 para. 119(44)(c); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 3(c)