Section 40: Emergency supply by water undertaker

Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 · 2004 c. 21View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 5: Water supply

If a fire and rescue authority requests a water undertaker to provide a supply and pressure of water for the purposes of extinguishing a fire that is greater than the undertaker would otherwise provide, the undertaker must take all necessary steps in order to do so.

For the purposes of complying with its obligation under subsection (1) a water undertaker may shut off the water from the mains and pipes in any area.

No authority or person is liable to any penalty or claim arising because of anything done by a water undertaker in complying with its obligation under subsection (1).

A water undertaker commits an offence if, without reasonable excuse, it fails to take any step which it is obliged to take under subsection (1).

A water undertaker guilty of an offence under subsection (4) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

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