Clause 17

Any person who discharges or causes or permits to be discharged any trade effluent into any public sewer or any drain-line or sewer communicating with a public sewer without the written approval of the Director shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000.

Where any trade effluent had been discharged from any premises into any public sewer or any drain-line or sewer communicating with a public sewer, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that the occupier of the premises had discharged or caused or permitted to be discharged the trade effluent in contravention of subsection (1).

The presumption under subsection (2) shall not be rebutted unless the occupier of the premises proves that he had exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence under subsection (1).

Subsection (1) shall not apply to any discharge of trade effluent which may be lawfully made into any public sewer pursuant to any regulations made under this Act.

A person shall not be guilty of an offence under this section if he proves that the discharge was made in an emergency to avoid danger to life or property and, as soon as was reasonably practicable, he informed the Director of the discharge in writing.