General functions of licensees

(1) It shall be the duty of all licensees to– (a) develop and maintain an efficient, co- ordinated and, economical system of water supply or sewerage services or both as the case may be; (b) facilitate competition in the supply of water and sewerage services; (c) carry out the policy of the Government in relation to the provision of water supply and sewerage services; (d) maintain and develop any waterworks or other property relating thereto which may be transferred to a licensee under this Act; 37 (e) provide a safe, adequate and reliable supply of water or sewerage services as the case may be; (f) provide supplies of water and sewerage services to premises and make such supplies available; (g) maintain, improve and extend any water mains and other pipes as are necessary for securing that a licensee is and continues to be able to meet its obligations under this Act; (h) provide, improve and extend such system of public sewers, whether inside its area or elsewhere, and so to cleanse and maintain those sewers as to ensure that that area is and continues to be effectually drained; and (i) make provision for the emptying of those sewers and such further provision, whether inside his area or elsewhere, as is necessary from time to time for effectually dealing, by means of sewage disposal works or otherwise, with the contents of those sewers. (2) A licensee shall conduct his business in a manner which is reasonably considered to be best calculated to achieve quality of service standards, as may be prescribed by regulations, and shall pay the penalties for non-observance or failure to meet such standards, in accordance with bye-laws, decisions or Orders which may from time to time be made under this Act in respect thereto. (3) The P.U.C. may, after consultation with the Minister, by regulations, prescribe such standards of performance in connection with the provision of supplies of water as, in its opinion, ought to be achieved by licensees. 38 (4) Regulations under sub-section (3) may provide that if a licensee fails to meet a prescribed standard he shall pay such amount as may be prescribed, to any person who is affected by such failure and is of a prescribed description. (5) Without prejudice to the generality of the power conferred by sub-section (3), regulations under that sub-section may– (a) include in a standard of performance, a requirement for a licensee, in prescribed circumstances, to inform a person of his rights by virtue of any such regulations; (b) provide for any dispute under the regulations to be referred by either party to the dispute, to (c) make provision for the procedure to be followed in connection with any such reference and for the P.U.C.’s determination on such a reference to be enforceable in such manner as may be prescribed; or (d) prescribe circumstances in which a licensee is to be exempted from any requirements of the duty.