Custody and administration of water.
werke.
Appointment of officers.
Construction and connection of service.
Alteration of defective service.
Penalty for neglect.
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Meter - any appliance used to measure, ascertain or regulate the amount of water taken or used from the waterworks by means of any service as well as any orifice or gauge or other appliance used in estimating the flow of water in or from any part of the waterworks.
Owner. The holder of any tenement direct from the Crown whether under lease, licence or otherwise, or the immediate landlord of any tenement, or the agent of any such holder or landlord who is absent or under disability, or, if there is no such agent, the occupier of the tenement.
Tenement. - Any land with or without buildings which is held or occupied as a distinct or separate holding or tenancy, or any wharf or pier in the waters of the Colony.
Domestic Supply. - Water from the waterworks used in any tenement for drinking, washing, cooking or for baths or any other purpose of domestic life.
Non-domestic Supply. - Any water from the waterworks used for the purposes of, or in carrying on, any trade or manufacture or for cattle, horses or other animals, or for watering fields or gardens cultivated or occupied as a means of pecuniary profit or for private fountains or for any ornamental purpose or for the supply of ponds or tanks or for laundries or public wash-houses or public baths, vessels, ships or boats and shall include the water used or consumed by any person resident in or occupying any premises where a non-domestic supply is given, as well as any water taken or used from the waterworks by the Imperial or Colonial, Military or Naval establishments.
Gathering ground. Any surface of land or otherwise which collects the rainfall for the purposes of the waterworks.
General Rates - Rates determined pursuant to "The Rating Ordinance, 1888," or by any Resolution of the Legislative Council under section 30 of such Ordinance.
3. The Water Authority shall have the custody and administration of the waterworks and of the water therein, and the management of the supply or distribution of such water, subject to the general authority of the Governor.
4. The Governor in Council shall appoint suitable Officers to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance, such Officers to be under the control of the Water Authority, subject, however, to the general authority of the Governor.
5. It shall be lawful for all persons occupying or owning any tenement to construct services for the supply of water from the waterworks. The construction of the service and the nature, size and quality of the materials and fittings shall be in accordance with the provisions of any Regulations made hereunder, and on the completion of the service to the satisfaction of the Water Authority, it shall be connected by the Water Authority to the waterworks, in the manner hereafter directed.
6. The owners or occupiers of tenements provided with services prior to the passing of this Ordinance shall, within thirty days after the receipt of notice in writing from the Water Authority, cause the service to be so altered, repaired or renewed as is certified by the Water Authority to be necessary to prevent waste of water or damage to the waterworks or to the public distribution of water. If the said owner or occupier fails to alter, repair or renew the service as hereinbefore directed within thirty days after the receipt of such notice, it shall be lawful for the Water Authority to cause the defective service to be disconnected from the waterworks and it shall not be reconnected until the service is renewed, altered or repaired to the satisfaction of the Water Authority.
7. The expenses of constructing, altering or re-adjusting all services shall be borne by the owner of the tenement to which such services are laid.
8. The Water Authority may in its discretion construct, alter and repair any services at the request of the owner or occupier and on completion thereof, the person so requesting shall pay the cost and expenses thereof at such time and place and in such mode as may be prescribed by any Regulations made under this Ordinance.
9. It shall be lawful for the Water Authority to measure or otherwise determine the quantity of water supplied by means of any service or services to any tenement or block or group of tenements.
10. The Water Authority shall from time to time determine, with the approval of the Governor in Council (such approval to be notified in the Gazette) the quantity of water per head per day which shall be deemed to be legitimate domestic consumption. In determining this quantity, regard shall be had to the annual valuation of the tenement to be supplied as defined by the Rating Ordinance for the time being, but in no case shall such quantity be less than five gallons per head per day. Such quantity shall, for the purposes of this Ordinance and of any Regulations made thereunder, be termed the "Prescribed domestic quantity."
11. If, in the opinion of the Water Authority, the water consumed by any tenement or block or group of tenements appears to be excessive, the Water Authority shall call upon the Registrar General to ascertain the number of inhabitants in such tenement, block or group of tenements, and the Registrar General shall, as soon as practicable, furnish the Water Authority with a Return showing as nearly as practicable the number of persons inhabiting the same.
12. The Water Authority shall ascertain the total quantity of water supplied to the tenement, block or group of tenements to which the Return aforesaid applies during a period of not less than thirty consecutive days, including the day of the date of the Return. Thereupon, the Water Authority shall, by comparing such total quantity of water supplied with the number of persons shown in the return, determine the average daily rate of consumption per head.
13. If such average daily rate per head is found to exceed the "prescribed domestic quantity," the Water Authority shall serve notice upon the occupiers, by leaving one such written or printed notice in English and Chinese at each tenement, to abate such excessive consumption forthwith, and shall also, where practicable, notify the owner of the fact of such service; and if within fourteen days after service of such notice, such excessive consumption be not abated to the satisfaction of the Water Authority, it shall be lawful for such Authority to disconnect the service of such tenement or tenements from the waterworks, for any period not exceeding three months, and such service shall not be reconnected without the written application of the owner.
14. It shall be lawful for the Water Authority to fix meters for measuring the consumption of water in all cases of non-domestic supply, and the Water Authority shall call upon the owner or occupier of any tenement to which a "non-domestic" supply is given and measured by a meter, to enter into an agreement with the Colonial Secretary on behalf of the Crown to pay quarterly to the Colonial Treasurer, subject to the deduction in the next paragraph mentioned, for the quantity of water consumed in or upon such tenement at the price per thousand gallons hereinafter set forth, and to pay quarterly in advance to the Colonial Treasurer a rent for the use of the meter. Such meter shall be kept in repair by the Water Authority. If such owner or occupier declines or neglects to enter into such agreement for a period exceeding fourteen days from the date of the notice, or such extended period as may be conceded by the Water Authority in writing, it shall be lawful for the Water Authority to disconnect the service of the said tenement from the waterworks.
15. From the quarterly payment in the last preceding section mentioned, there shall be deducted a sum equal to three-quarters per cent. on the annual rating valuation of the tenement to which such non-domestic supply is served, and of any premises in the same cartilage to which no water is supplied.
16. All moneys received under the authority of this Ordinance, or which under the authority of section 28 of Ordinance No. 15 of 1888 may be disposed of to defray the expenses of the water supply, shall be carried to the credit of an account which shall be kept by the Water Authority.
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