The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Remedial powers in relation to private supplies

119.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Article, where DOE is satisfied in relation to any premises which are supplied with water for domestic or food production purposes by means of a private supply—

(a) that any water which is being, has been or is likely to be supplied for those purposes to those premises by means of that private supply is not, was not or, as the case may be, is likely not to be wholesome; or

(b) that that private supply is failing, has failed or is likely to fail to provide to any house on those premises such a supply of wholesome water as (so far as that house is concerned) is sufficient for domestic purposes,

DOE may serve a notice in relation to that private supply on one or more of the relevant persons.

(2) A notice under this Article in relation to a private supply of water to any premises shall—

(a) give particulars of the matters mentioned in paragraph (1) in respect of which the notice is served;

(b) specify the steps which, in the opinion of DOE, are required to be taken for ensuring that there is a supply of water to those premises which is both wholesome and (so far as any house on those premises is concerned) sufficient for domestic purposes;

(c) specify a period, ending not less than 28 days after the day on which the notice is served, within which any representations or objections with respect to the notice must be received by DOE; and

(d) state the effect in relation to that notice of Article 120(2) and (3).

(3) Subject to Articles 120 and 121, where DOE serves a notice under this Article on any relevant person it may do one or more of the following, that is to say—

(a) by that notice designate as steps to be taken by DOE itself such of the steps specified in the notice as DOE considers it appropriate so to designate;

(b) by that notice require that person, within such reasonable period as may be specified in the notice, to take one or more of the steps so specified;

(c) by that notice require that person, at such times as may be determined in accordance with provision contained in the notice, to make to another relevant person or to DOE such payments as may be so determined in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by that other person or DOE in taking any step specified in the notice;

(d) by that notice undertake from time to time to make such payments to that person as may be so determined in respect of expenses reasonably incurred by that person in taking any step specified in the notice.

(4) The steps that a relevant person may be required by a notice under this Article to take in relation to any premises shall include—

(a) requiring a supply of water to be provided to those premises by a water undertaker or by any other person; and

(b) taking such steps for the purpose of securing that such a requirement is complied with, and of enabling such a supply to be so provided, as may be specified in the notice.

(5) For the purposes of this Article and Articles 120 to 122 the relevant persons, in relation to a private supply of water to any premises, are—

(a) the owners and occupiers of those premises; and

(b) the owners and occupiers of the premises where the source of that supply is situated and any other person who exercises powers of management or control in relation to that source;

and in Articles 120 to 122 a notice under this Article is referred to as a private supply notice.