Clause 17

Any person who, whether wilfully or otherwise, removes, destroys or damages or causes or permits to be removed, destroyed or damaged, any water main belonging to or under the management or control of the Board, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —

to a fine not exceeding $40,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both; or

if the water main is 300 mm or more in diameter, to a fine not exceeding $200,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.(2) Any person who, whether wilfully or otherwise, removes, destroys or damages or causes or permits to be removed, destroyed or damaged any part of —

an installation or water installation which supplies water to the Board; or

an installation or water installation belonging to or under the management or control of the Board,and thereby interferes with the production or supply of water by that installation or water installation, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $200,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.(3) In any proceedings for an offence under subsection (1) or (2), it shall be a defence for the person charged under either of those subsections to prove that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of the offence, but this defence shall not be available to any person who may be liable by virtue of section 56A.(4) If it appears to the Board that there has been a contravention of subsection (1) or (2), the Board may, by notice in writing, require any person who has done any of the acts referred to in subsection (1) or (2) or such other person who may be liable under either of those subsections by virtue of section 56A (referred to in this section as the person in default) to carry out such works as may be necessary to restore the water main, installation or water installation to its original condition, or to replace it, within such time as may be specified in the notice.(5) If the Board is of the opinion that immediate action is necessary or expedient or that the water main, installation or water installation cannot be restored by the person in default, the Board may, instead of issuing the notice under subsection (4) —

carry out such works as are necessary to restore the water main, installation or water installation to its original condition, or replace it; and (b)recover in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to it all expenses reasonably incurred in doing so from the person in default.(6) If the person to whom a notice is given under subsection (4) fails to comply with the notice within the time specified, the Board may carry out the works specified in the notice in such manner as it thinks fit and recover in a court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due to it all expenses reasonably incurred in doing so from the person in default.(7) Without prejudice to the right of the Board to exercise its powers under subsection (6), any person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with a notice given to him under subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence.”.