Legalize / United Kingdom / Northern Ireland / Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015

Type Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Publication 2015-07-24

State In force

Jurisdiction Northern Ireland

Department Statute Law Database

Source legislation.gov.uk

articles 1

Reform history JSON API

PART 1 — CONTROLLED RESERVOIRS, REGISTRATION AND RESERVOIR DESIGNATION

Controlled reservoirs

1

For the purposes of this Act, a controlled reservoir is any of the followingstructures or areas which is capable of holding 10,000 cubic metres or more of water above the natural level of any part of the surrounding land—

(a) a structure designed or used for collecting and storing water,

(b) a lake or other area created or enlarged by artificial means, the artificial creation or enlargement having been designed, or the lake or other area so created or enlarged being used, for collecting and storing water.

Structure or area which is to be treated as a controlled reservoir

2

(1) This section determines when a section 1(a) or (b) structure or area which is not a controlled reservoir is to be treated as a controlled reservoir for the purposes of this Act.

(2) Where both of the following apply—

(a) water does (or could) flow from a section 1(a) or (b) structure or area to any other section 1(a) or (b) structure or area, and

(b) any 2 or more such structures or areas (taken together) are capable of holding 10,000 cubic metres or more of water above the natural level of any part of the surrounding land,

each of the section 1(a) or (b) structures or areas is to be treated for the purposes of this Act as a controlled reservoir.

(3) The Department, having taken into account the matters mentioned in section 3, may by regulations provide that a section 1(a) or (b) structure or area which neither is a controlled reservoir, nor falls to be treated as a controlled reservoir under subsection (2), is to be treated for the purposes of this Act as a controlled reservoir.

(4) The Department must serve notice of the making of regulations under subsection (3) on the person who will, as at the date of the making of them, be the reservoir manager of any section 1(a) or (b) structure or area which will, by virtue of the regulations, be treated as a controlled reservoir for the purposes of this Act; and such notice must advise the person of—

(a) the requirement for the reservoir manager to register the controlled reservoir with the Department in accordance with sections 10 and 13,

(b) the period within which the reservoir manager must do so.

(5) In this section and section 3, a “section 1(a) or (b) structure or area” means a structure, lake or other area referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of section 1.

Matters to be taken into account under section 2(3)

3

(1) The matters the Department is required by section 2(3) to take into account are—

(a) in so far as it is reasonably practicable to do so, as respects the section 1(a) or (b) structure or area alone or, where water does or could flow between it and any other section 1(a) or (b) structure or area, also any such other structure or area—

(i) the potential adverse consequences of an uncontrolled release of water from the structure or area,

(ii) the probability of an uncontrolled release of water from the structure or area,

(b) such other matters as the Department may, by regulations, provide.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(i), potential adverse consequences include the matters specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 22(2) (for the purposes of reservoir designation).

(3) The issues the Department may take into account in assessing under subsection (1)(a) the potential adverse consequences or probability of an uncontrolled release of water from a section 1(a) or (b) structure or area include, as regards the structure or area, the issues specified in paragraphs (a) to (e) of section 22(3) and in regulations under section 23 (for the purposes of reservoir designation); and for that purpose the references in those paragraphs of section 22(3) to “the reservoir” are to be construed as references to the section 1(a) or (b) structure or area.

(4) Before making regulations under subsection (1)(b), the Department must consult the Institution of Civil Engineers and such other organisations or persons as it considers appropriate.

Controlled reservoirs: further provision

4

(1) The Department may by order substitute a different volume of water for the volume for the time being specified in sections 1, 2(2)(b), 41(3) and (5), 45(3)(a) and 49(3)(b).

(2) The Department may by regulations make provision for the purposes of sections 1, 2, 41, 45 and 49 as to—

(a) how the volume of water capable of being held above the natural level of the surrounding land is to be calculated,

(b) how “natural level” and “surrounding land” are to be construed.

(3) Before making an order under subsection (1) or regulations under subsection (2), the Department must consult—

(a) the Institution of Civil Engineers,

(b) such other organisations representing engineering or concerned with the practice of water and environmental management as it considers appropriate.

Controlled reservoirs: supplementary

5

(1) A controlled reservoir includes any basin, spillway, valve, dam, pumping station, weir, sluice, pipe and other thing which is integral to the functioning or operation of the reservoir.

(2) The following structures or areas are not a controlled reservoir (and are not to be taken into account in relation to what is to be treated as a controlled reservoir for the purposes of section 2(2) or (3))—

(a) a canal or other inland waterway,

(b) an embanked watercourse,

(d) a weir which does not serve a functional or operational purpose as regards a controlled reservoir,

(e) a structure or area of water which protects land from the sea,

(f) a pond within an extractive waste site or other waste facility,

(g) a sewage sludge lagoon or other waste water treatment lagoon,

(h) an ash, silt or sludge lagoon used for the purpose of a mine or power generation,

(i) a lagoon for the storage of chemical materials or their waste products,

(j) a slurry tank.

(3) The Department may by regulations make provision as to—

(a) what constitutes any of the structures or areas referred to in subsection (2),

(b) what other thing (if any) described in the regulations is not a controlled reservoir (and is not to be taken into account in relation to what is to be treated as a controlled reservoir for the purposes of section 2(2) or (3)).

Reservoir managers

6

(1) This section determines who is the reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir for the purposes of this Act.

(2) A water undertaker is the reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir, or any part of a controlled reservoir, which is managed or operated by it.

(3) A sewerage undertaker is the reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir which is managed or operated by it.

(4) Subsections (5) and (6) apply where—

(a) a water undertaker is not, by virtue of subsection (2), the reservoir manager of all or part of a controlled reservoir,

(b) a sewerage undertaker is not, by virtue of subsection (3), the reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir.

(5) Any person who manages or operates the reservoir or any part of it, but is not the owner of the reservoir (or the part), is the reservoir manager of the reservoir (or the part).

(6) The owner of any part of the reservoir for which no person is reservoir manager by virtue of subsection (5) is the reservoir manager of the part.

(7) In this section, a reference to managing or operating a reservoir is, in relation to a reservoir which is being constructed or restored to use (within the meaning of Part 3), to be read as referring to proposing to manage or operate the reservoir.

(8) For the avoidance of doubt the Department, in carrying out or maintaining any works or taking any other action in relation to a controlled reservoir (or any part of a controlled reservoir) by virtue of its powers under the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973, is not to be regarded as managing or operating the reservoir (or part).

Multiple reservoir managers: supplementary

7

(1) This section applies where by virtue of section 6 there is more than one reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir.

(2) The requirements of this Act apply in relation to each of the reservoir managers (whether or not they make a nomination under subsection (3)).

(3) Any of the reservoir managers (“the nominating manager”) may nominate another of the reservoir managers (“the nominee”) to do any of the following on behalf of the nominating manager—

(a) fulfil any requirements of this Act to which the nominating manager is subject and which are specified in the nomination,

(b) exercise any rights the nominating manager has under this Act and which are so specified.

(4) A nomination made under subsection (3) must in addition specify the name, postal address and telephone contact details of the nominee.

(5) The nominating manager must, not later than 28 days after the date of the nomination, give notice of the nomination and of what it contains to—

(a) the Department,

(b) each other reservoir manager of the controlled reservoir,

(c) any supervising engineer, inspecting engineer, other qualified engineer or construction engineer commissioned in relation to the reservoir (see Parts 2 and 3).

(6) Where a nomination is duly made and notice of it is duly given—

(a) the Department may notify and consult the nominee in accordance with the nomination,

(b) any supervising engineer, inspecting engineer, other qualified engineer or construction engineer commissioned for the time being in relation to the reservoir may give any notice, report, certificate or other document (required by this Act to be given to the nominating manager) to the nominee in accordance with the nomination.

(7) In subsection (6)(b), reference to the “supervising engineer” is to be construed as including the nominated representative of the supervising engineer under section 26(7)(a) who is acting as such in the event of the supervising engineer being unavailable.

Duty of multiple reservoir managers to co-operate

8

(1) Where by virtue of section 6 there is more than one reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir, each of the reservoir managers must co-operate with any other reservoir manager of the reservoir (including a nominee under section 7) so far as is necessary to enable the reservoir manager concerned to comply with the requirements to which the manager is subject under this Act.

(2) A reservoir manager who fails to comply with subsection (1) commits an offence.

(3) A reservoir manager guilty of an offence under subsection (2) in relation to a controlled reservoir which is, at the time the offence is committed, a high-consequence reservoir is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(4) A reservoir manager guilty of an offence under that subsection in relation to any other controlled reservoir is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

Registration

Controlled reservoirs register

9

(1) The Department must establish and maintain a controlled reservoirs register.

(2) The controlled reservoirs register is a register containing (subject to subsection (4)), such information and documents in relation to each controlled reservoir as the Department may by regulations specify.

(3) The Department must make arrangements for the controlled reservoirs register (or a copy of it) to be available for inspection by any person at all reasonable times.

(4) If it appears to the Secretary of State that the inclusion of any information or document in the register would adversely affect national security, the Secretary of State may direct the Department not to include the information or document in the register.

Reservoir managers’ duty to register with the Department

10

(1) The reservoir manager of each controlled reservoir must register the reservoir with the Department in accordance with sections 11 to 13.

(2) A reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir registers the reservoir under subsection (1) by providing to the Department such information and documents as the Department may by regulations specify.

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) may, in particular, include provision as to—

(a) the further information or documents that a reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir must provide to the Department for the purpose of maintenance by it of the controlled reservoirs register,

(b) the time by which any such information or document must be provided.

Structures or areas which are controlled reservoirs on the relevant date

11

(1) Registration under section 10 of a structure or area which is a controlled reservoir on the relevant date must, subject to subsection (2), take place not later than 6 months after that date.

(2) The Department may, in relation to information or a document where it considers it appropriate to do so, extend the period of 6 months specified in subsection (1) to such other period as it may, by notice served on the reservoir manager, specify; and different periods may be specified in relation to different information or documents.

(3) In this section, and section 12, “the relevant date” means the date of commencement of section 10.

Structures or areas which become controlled reservoirs after the relevant date

12

(1) Registration under section 10 of a structure or area which becomes a controlled reservoir after the relevant date must, subject to subsection (2), take place not later than 28 days after the date on which a preliminary certificate is given in relation to it for the first time (see section 47).

(2) The Department may, in relation to information or a document where it considers it appropriate to do so, extend the period of 28 days specified in subsection (1) to such other period as it may, by notice served on the reservoir manager, specify; and different periods may be specified in relation to different information or documents.

Structures or areas which are the subject of regulations under section 2(3)

13

(1) Registration under section 10 of a structure or area which is to be treated as a controlled reservoir by virtue of regulations made under subsection (3) of section 2 must, subject to subsection (2), take place not later than 28 days after the day on which notice of the making of the regulations is served by the Department under subsection (4) of that section.

(2) The Department may, in relation to information or a document where it considers it appropriate to do so, extend the period of 28 days specified in subsection (1) to such other period as it may, by notice served on the reservoir manager, specify; and different periods may be specified in relation to different information or documents.

Fees: registration and administration

14

(1) The Department may by regulations make provision as to—

(a) payment to it by reservoir managers of controlled reservoirs of fees to cover costs reasonably incurred by it in relation to registration,

(b) payment to it of other reasonable annual or recurring fees in relation to the performance by it of its functions as respects the controlled reservoirs register and registration of controlled reservoirs in the register,

(2) In making regulations under subsection (1) the Department must have regard to the reasonable cost of the exercise of the functions in respect of which the fees are to be charged.

(3) Regulations under subsection (1) may include such other matters as the Department considers appropriate, including in particular provision specifying—

(a) the maximum amount of any fee,

(b) the circumstances in which any fee is payable,

(d) how fees may be collected and recovered.

Registration: supplementary

15

(1) Where a person ceases to be a reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir, the person must, not later than 28 days after ceasing to be such, give notice to the Department stating—

(a) that fact,

(b) the date on which the person ceased to be reservoir manager,

(c) the name of any person who has (or will) become a reservoir manager of the controlled reservoir in place of the person,

(d) such other information as the Department may specify.

(2) A person who becomes a reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir must, not later than 28 days after becoming reservoir manager, give notice to the Department stating—

(a) that fact,

(b) the date on which the person became reservoir manager,

(3) Where the Department receives notice under subsection (1) or (2), it must take such steps as it considers are reasonably required to inform the new reservoir manager, as soon as is reasonably practicable, of the duties of reservoir managers of controlled reservoirs under this Act.

Offences: registration

16

(1) Failure by a reservoir manager of a controlled reservoir to comply with any of the following requirements relating to registration is an offence—

(a) the requirements of section 10 (including those of regulations made under subsection (2) of that section) (registering controlled reservoir with Department in accordance with sections 11 to 13),

(b) the requirements of section 15(1) or (2) (notice of change of reservoir manager).

(2) A reservoir manager who, in relation to any requirement referred to in subsection (1), knowingly or recklessly gives any information or document which is false or misleading in a material respect commits an offence.

Reading this document does not replace reading the official text published on legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies arising from the conversion of the original CLML XML to this format.