Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1951

1951 c.66

An Act to provide for establishing river purification boards in Scotland and for conferring on or transferring to such boards functions relating to the prevention of river pollution; to make new provision for maintaining or restoring the cleanliness of the rivers and other inland waters and the tidal waters of Scotland in place of the Rivers Pollution Prevention Act 1876, and certain other enactments; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.

Annotations:
Commencement Information
I1

Act partly in force at Royal Assent by s. 36(4)(now repealed).

Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1

References to councils of counties or of large burghs and to their districts to be read as references to regional, islands or district councils and to their areas: Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65), s. 135(8)

C2

By Water (Scotland) Act 1980 (c. 45, SIF 130), s. 112, Sch. 10 Pt. I any reference to a local water authority shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to a water authority

Part I Central Authority

1 Duty of Secretary of State in relation to prevention of pollution of rivers and other waters.

C3C41

It shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to promote the cleanliness of the rivers and other inland waters and the tidal waters of Scotland.

2

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F2Part II River Purification Boards

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F2

Pt. II (ss. 2 -16) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1)(3), Sch. 22, para. 3(2), Sch. 24 (with ss.7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

C5C6Part III Prevention of Pollution

Annotations:
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C5

Pt. III (ss. 17-28): transfer of functions (12.10.1995) by 1995 c. 25, s. 21(1)(a)(i)(ii) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/2649, art. 3

C6

Pt. III (ss. 17-28) modified (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 33(5)(b) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

River Purification Authorities

F4717. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

18 Provision and obtaining of information.

1

For the purpose of enabling F3itto perform the functions conferred on F3itF4SEPA may make surveys F5. . .and gauge and keep records of the flow or volume and other characteristics of any stream F5. . ., and may take steps for the measurement and recording of the rainfall F5. . . and for the installation and maintenance for these purposes of gauges or other apparatus and works connected therewith, and may take such other steps as may be necessary in order to obtain any information required for the purposes aforesaid.

2

The Secretary of State may give directions requiring F6SEPA to exercise all or any of the powers conferred on F6itby the foregoing subsection and to furnish to him such information obtained in pursuance of the directions at such times and in such form as may be specified in the directions, and it shall be the duty of F6SEPA to comply with any directions to given.

3

F7SEPA shall give reasonable facilities for the inspection of records kept by F8itof the rainfall or the flow or volume of any stream F9. . . and for the taking of copies or extracts from such records, and such facilities shall be available free of charge to all local authorities F9. . . and shall be available to other persons on payment of such F10reasonable fees as may be determined by F7SEPA

4

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F126

Notwithstanding anything in this Act, any F13controlled waters within the meaning of section 30A of the Control of Pollution Act 1974shall be deemed to be included in the expression “stream” for the purposes of F14SEPA’spowers under this section.

19 Power to take samples of effluents.

1

F15SEPAshall have a right to obtain and take away samples of water from any stream or of any effluent which is passing from any land or vessel into any stream F16. . ..

F172

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F172A

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F172B

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3

Notwithstanding anything in this Act, any F18controlled waters within the meaning of section 30A of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 shall be deemed to be included in the expression “stream” for the purposes of F19SEPA’spowers under this section.

F204

In this section F21. . . any reference to land includes a reference to premises.

20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F22

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F22

S. 20 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F23

S. 21 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

Provisions for Prevention of Pollution

22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F24

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F24

S. 22 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F25

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F25

S. 23 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F26

S. 24 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

25

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a

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F28c

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d

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2

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F284

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F2926

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F291

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F302

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F293

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F304

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F295

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F307

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F308

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F309

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27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F31

28. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F32

S. 28 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

Part IV General

29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F33

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F33

S. 29 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F34

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F34

S. 30 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F35

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F35

S. 31 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

32 Expenses.

1

Any expenses incurred by the Secretary of State under this Act shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament.

2

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Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F36

S. 32(2) repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F37

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F37

S. 33 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F38

S. 34 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

35 Interpretation.

1

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say—

  • “contravention” includes failure to comply with, and “contravene” shall be construed accordingly;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48

  • “functions” includes powers and duties;

  • “land” includes land covered by water;

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  • F50“local authority” means a council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994

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  • F52. . .

  • F52. . .

  • F53“SEPA” means the Scottish Environment Protection Agency;

  • F54“sewerage authority” shall be construed in accordance with section 62 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994;

  • F55“sewage effluent” includes any effluent from the sewage disposal or sewerage works of a local authority;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48

  • “stream” includes any river, watercourse or inland water (whether natural or artificial) and any tidal waters to which this Act applies, except that it does not include either—

    1. a

      any body of water which does not discharge into a stream; or

    2. b

      any sewer vested in a F56sewerage authority,

    but any reference to a stream includes a reference to the channel or bed of a stream which is for the time being dry;

  • “tidal waters” means any part of the sea or the tidal part of any river, watercourse or inland water (whether natural or artificial) and includes the waters of any enclosed dock which adjoins tidal waters;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48

2

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3

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36 Short title, transitional provisions, repeal, commencement and extent.

1

This Act may be cited as the Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1951.

2

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3

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4

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5

This Act shall extend to Scotland only.

SCHEDULES

F41F41FIRST SCHEDULE

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F41

Sch. 1 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

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F42F42SECOND SCHEDULE

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)
F42

Sch. 2 repealed by Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40 SIF 46:4), s. 109(2), Sch. 4

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THIRD SCHEDULE

1

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2

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3

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F46F46FOURTH SCHEDULE

Annotations:
Amendments (Textual)

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