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Section 72: Contamination of water sources.

Water Industry Act 1991 · 1991 c. 56View on legislation.gov.uk

Part III: WATER SUPPLY — chapter III: Quality and Sufficiency of Supplies

Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, a person is guilty of an offence under this section if he is guilty of any act or neglect whereby the water in any waterworks which is used or likely to be used—

for human consumption or domestic purposes; or
for manufacturing food or drink for human consumption,

is polluted or likely to be polluted.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as restricting or prohibiting any method of cultivation of land which is in accordance with the principles of good husbandry.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as restricting or prohibiting the reasonable use of oil or tar on any highway maintainable at public expense so long as the highway authority take all reasonable steps for preventing—

the oil or tar; and
any liquid or matter resulting from the use of the oil or tar,

from polluting the water in any waterworks.

A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding £50 for every day during which the offence is continued after conviction;
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine or to both.

In this section "waterworks" includes—

any spring, well, adit, borehole, service reservoir or tank; and
any main or other pipe or conduit of a water undertaker; and
any pipe or conduit of a water supply licensee.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.