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Section 117Q: Prohibition on unauthorised removal of matter from sewerage system

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

Part IV: SEWERAGE SERVICES — Chapter 2A: Duties relating to sewerage services: sewerage licensees

No person other than the undertaker may remove matter from the sewerage system of a sewerage undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in England.

Subsection (1) is subject to subsections (3) and (4) and section 117R.

Subsection (1) does not apply where —

matter is removed by a sewerage licensee in pursuance of its sewerage licence, or
matter is removed by another sewerage undertaker under a main connection agreement (within the meaning of section 110A).

The Secretary of State may by regulations specify further circumstances in which subsection (1) does not apply.

An undertaking entered into which involves a contravention of subsection (1) is unenforceable.

A person who contravenes subsection (1) is guilty of an offence.

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

on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £20,000;
on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

For the purposes of section 210, the penalty on conviction on indictment of an offence under this section is to be deemed to include imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years (in addition to or instead of a fine).

Proceedings for an offence under this section may not be instituted except by—

the Secretary of State, or
the Authority.

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.