Use of water in controlled areas

(1) Subject to the provisions of section 39 of this Act, the occupier of any land, his family and employees ordinarily resident on that land are entitled to abstract and use any water on, adjacent to, or under that land for the domestic necessities of his household, including the watering of livestock and the irrigation of a subsistence garden, notwithstanding an Order made in accordance with section 54 of this Act. (2) Where a licensee is of opinion that in any area of water supply covered by his licence, a serious deficiency of water available for distribution by him exists or is threatened, the licensee shall so inform the Authority who may, by Order published in the Gazette and at least one national newspaper, for such period as the Authority thinks necessary prohibit or restrict as respects the whole or any part of the licensee’s water supply system, the use of water for the purpose of watering private gardens or washing private motor cars, or any water supplied by him and drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus. (3) In subsection (2) of this section, the expression “private motor car” means a motor vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads, other than a public service vehicle or a goods vehicle within the meaning a public service vehicle pursuant to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Cap. 230. (4) The Authority shall at least three days before such prohibition or restriction comes into force, publish in one or more newspapers circulating the country, or any other appropriate means notice of the prohibition or restriction and of the date when it will come into force. (5) Any person who contravenes any Order made under this section commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both such fine and imprisonment. National Integrated 48 (6) During any period when a prohibition or restriction imposed under this section is in force, any officer of the Authority shall, on producing if so required some duly authenticated document showing his authority, have a right at all reasonable hours to enter any premises in any area to which the prohibition or restriction applies for the purpose of ascertaining whether there is or has been any contravention of the prohibition or restriction; and the provisions of section 90 (2) of this Act relating to entry of premises shall apply to any such right of entry.