Water Act 1945

17 Byelaws for preventing waste, misuse or contamination of water.

(1) Statutory water undertakers may make byelaws for preventing waste, undue consumption, misuse, or contamination of water supplied by them.

(2) Byelaws under this section may include provisions—

(a) prescribing the size, nature, materials, strength and workmanship, and the mode of arrangement, connection, disconnection, alteration and repair, of the water fittings to be used; and

(b) forbidding the use of any water fittings which are of such a nature or are so arranged or connected as to cause or permit, or be likely to cause or permit, waste, undue consumption, misuse, erroneous measurement or contamination of water, or reverberation in pipes.

(3) If a person contravenes the provisions of any byelaw made under this section, the undertakers may, without prejudice to their right to take proceedings for a fine in respect of such contravention, cause any water fittings belonging to or used by that person which are not in accordance with the requirements of the byelaws to be altered, repaired or replaced, and may recover the expenses reasonably incurred by them in so doing from the person in default summarily as a civil debt.

(4) Nothing in this section, or in any byelaw made thereunder, shall apply to any fittings used on premises which belong to a railway company and are held or used by them for the purposes of their railway, so long as those fittings are not of such a nature or so arranged or connected as to cause or permit or be likely to cause or permit waste, undue consumption, misuse, erroneous measurement or contamination of water supplied by the undertakers, or reverberation in pipes:

Provided that the exemption conferred by this subsection shall not extend to fittings used in hotels or dwelling houses or in offices not forming part of a railway station.