8. The principal Act is amended by inserting, immediately after section 24, the following sections:“Power to enter premises for installation of pipes, water installations, etc. |
24A.—(1) The Board may, for the purposes of this Act, by its employees, agents or contractors, enter any premises at all reasonable hours in the day or night, or at such other time as may be agreed with the owner or occupier of the premises, for all or any of the following purposes:(a) | to lay or install under, over, in, on or through the premises, such mains, pipes, water installations or water service installations as the Board considers necessary for the supply of water to those or other premises; | (b) | to inspect, maintain, adjust, repair or alter any such main, pipe, water installation or water service installation referred to in paragraph (a); | (c) | to carry out any works requisite for, or incidental to, the purposes of any works falling within paragraph (a) or (b), including —(i) | excavating any premises, sewer or drain; | (ii) | tunnelling or boring under any premises, sewer or drain; | (iii) | removing or using all earth and materials in or under any premises, sewer or drain; and | (iv) | erecting, placing or installing any equipment or apparatus in or under any premises. |
|
(2) In carrying out any of the works under this section, the Board shall cause as little damage as possible and shall repair or make reasonable compensation for any damage done to the affected premises. |
(3) Except as provided under subsection (2), the Board shall not be liable to pay any person any fee, charge or expense on account of such entry to any premises or of anything done to the premises under this section. |
(4) The Board shall, before entering any premises for the purposes specified in subsection (1), give at least 14 days’ written notice to the owner or occupier of the premises, stating as fully and accurately as possible the nature and extent of the works intended to be done. |
(5) The owner or occupier of the premises may, within 14 days after receiving the notice referred to in subsection (4), lodge a written objection with the Minister. |
(6) If no objection is lodged within the time specified in subsection (5), the Board may forthwith enter the premises and do all or any of the works specified in the notice under subsection (4). |
(7) If an objection is lodged and is not withdrawn before the date fixed for the hearing thereof, the Minister shall inquire into the matter, giving each party an opportunity to be heard, and the Board shall not enter the premises or carry out the works specified in the notice under subsection (4) until the Minister so authorises at the conclusion of the inquiry. |
(8) Upon the conclusion of the inquiry, the Minister may authorise, either unconditionally or subject to such terms, conditions and stipulations as he thinks fit, the entry to the premises and the carrying out of any of the works specified in the notice under subsection (4), and the decision of the Minister shall be final. |
(9) The Board may serve a notice on the owner or supplier of any gas, electricity, water or telecommunication services —(a) | to alter the course or position of any wire, line, cable, pipe, tube, casing, duct, post, structure or other apparatus which belongs to that owner or supplier or is maintained by that owner or supplier if, in the opinion of the Board, such alteration is required for the purposes of subsection (1); and | (b) | to repair any premises thereby disturbed, |
and where any approval of a statutory authority is required for that alteration, to do so in accordance with that approval. |
|
(10) The Board may give notice to the owner or occupier of any premises requiring him to remove any object or structure described in the notice which is erected on or attached to, or projects from, the premises if, in the opinion of the Board, the removal of the object or structure is required for any of the purposes specified in subsection (1). |
(11) Any costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the owner, supplier or occupier in complying with any notice under subsection (9) or (10) shall be borne by the Board. |
|
Board may act in cases of emergency |
24B. Notwithstanding anything in section 24, 24A, 31, 32 or 33, where the Board considers that immediate action is necessary —(a) | upon the occurrence of an emergency, fire or excessive drought; | (b) | because the quality of water supplied fails to meet the standards required by the Board; | (c) | to facilitate the repair, alteration, replacement or maintenance of any main, installation or water installation; | (d) | to avoid undue interference with the supply of water to consumers; | (e) | to conserve water supply; or | (f) | in the interests of public safety or for other reasons affecting public interest, |
the Board may immediately and without notice enter any premises and carry out, or direct the immediate execution of, any work or the doing of any act, being any work or act authorised under any of those sections, which is in the opinion of the Board necessary for the service or safety of the public.”. |
|
|
|