(1)Where a local authority are satisfied—
(a)that any occupied house has not, either in the house or within a reasonable distance thereof, a supply of wholesome water sufficient for the domestic purposes of the inmates; and
(b)that such a supply ought to be provided by the owner of the house; and
(c)that, if such a supply is afforded by the authority or other water undertakers, there will not be payable by the consumer in respect of water supplied any charge in excess of the ordinary charge made in respect of a supply of water for domestic purposes to houses in the area to which such a supply is given,
the authority may give notice to the owner requiring him within a time specified therein to provide, or secure the provision of, such a supply.
(2)Where the local authority are so satisfied as aforesaid with respect to each of two or more houses, and are further satisfied that the needs of those houses can most conveniently be met by means of a joint supply, they may give notice accordingly under the preceding subsection to the owners of all those houses.
(3)Subject to the provisions of the next succeeding section with respect to appeals, if such a notice as aforesaid is not complied with, the local authority may themselves provide, or secure the provision of, a supply of water to the house or houses in question and may recover any expenses reasonably incurred by them in so doing from the owner of the house, or, where two or more houses are concerned, from the owners of those houses in such proportions as may be determined by the authority or, in case of dispute, by a court of summary jurisdiction :
Provided that an owner shall not be required to pay more than twenty pounds in respect of any one house.
(4)Where any houses with respect to which the local authority are, by reason of notices not having been complied with, in a position to take action under the last preceding subsection are situate within the limits of supply of statutory water undertakers, and the aggregate amount of the water rates which would be payable annually by owners or occupiers of those houses at the rates charged by the undertakers is such that a requisition could be made by those owners or occupiers under section thirty-five of the Waterworks Clauses Act, 1847, or under that section as modified by any enactment regulating the undertaking, the local authority may themselves make such a requisition, and the undertakers shall comply therewith as if it had been made by the owners or occupiers of the houses, and those owners or occupiers shall be deemed to have made the requisition and to have entered into an agreement with the undertakers to take a supply of water for the minimum period mentioned in the said section, or in the said section as so modified.
(5)Where under this section a supply of water is furnished to a house by the local authority or other statutory water undertakers, water rates may be made on the premises and recovered as if the owner or occupier of the house had demanded and agreed to pay water rates for a supply.
(6)Where under this section two or more houses in the occupation of different persons are supplied with water by a common pipe belonging to the owners or occupiers of those houses or parts of houses, or to some of them, the local authority may, when necessary, repair or renew the pipe and recover any expenses reasonably incurred by them in so doing from the owners or occupiers of the houses in such proportions as may be determined by the authority or, in case of dispute, by a court of summary jurisdiction.