PART VI WATER AND FOOD S UPPLIES 64 Duty of local authority to furnish water supplies (1) Every local authority, when required to do so by the Minister, shall provide and maintain, or cause to be provided and maintained as far as may be reasonably possible, a sufficient supply of wholesome water for drinking and domestic purposes, whether such supplies be derived from sources within or beyond its district, and for such purposes it may purchase or otherwise acquire any land, water works, springs, fountains, water rights and premises, or rights incidental thereto, within or outside its district, and may construct, equip and maintain any works necessary for collecting, pumping or storing water. (2) Where such water supply has been provided, the local authority may by regulation compel the owner of every occupied premises within its district to the boundaries of which the local authority has brought such water to lay on such water to any such premises, and may fix a minimum charge for such water, whether used by the occupier or not; such charges shall be payable by the occupier, except in cases where the water is not laid on, when such charges shall be payable by the owner of the premises. (3) In the event of the water supply of any district being undertaken by any person or company other than a local authority under any lawful contract or legal agreement whatsoever, this Part shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to such person or company in respect of such water supply as if such person or company were the local authority. 65 Water works not to be commenced until approved by State (1) No water works may be commenced and no property purchased or acquired by a local authority until estimates and plans have been submitted and approved by the Minister. (2) Notice shall be given of any proposed scheme for the purpose of construction of works for the supply of water by the local authority by publication in the Gazette, and such notice shall describe such proposed scheme and state the hour and place where the plans, estimates and other particulars relating to the same may be inspected. (3) If any person, who is injuriously affected by such scheme, objects to the same and transmits his objections in writing to the Minister within one month after the date of the last publication of the notice aforesaid, the Minister may appoint a committee to inquire into the expediency of sanctioning the proposed scheme and to hear any such objections thereto and to report to him thereon, and on receiving such report the Minister may make an order disallowing the proposed scheme or allowing it with such modification, if any, as he may think fit. 66 Local authority to maintain existing water supplies in good order All water works vested in any local authority shall be maintained by the local authority in a condition for the effective distribution of a supply of pure water for drinking and domestic purposes. 67 Powers to inspect water supplies (1) The Chief Health Officer or any person duly authorized by him or any medical officer of any local authority may at all times enter any water works or gathering ground and inspect and examine any sources of water supply or any such water works, and take such sample of water as he may deem fit. (2) Any person who obstructs such medical officer or any other person as aforesaid in such duty shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment. [Subsection as amended by section 4 of Act No. 22 of 2001] 68 Regulations (1) The Minister may make, and impose on local authorities and administrators the duty of enforcing, regulations in respect of defined areas— (a) prohibiting bathing in, and prohibiting or regulating the washing of clothes or other articles or of animals in, or in any place draining into, any such water supply as is in section sixty-seven mentioned; (b) prohibiting or regulating the erection of dwellings, sanitary conveniences, stables, cattle kraals, pig sties, ostrich pens, dipping tanks, factories or other works likely to entail risk of harmful pollution of any such water supply, or prohibiting or regulating the deposit in the vicinity of, or in any place draining into, any such supply of any manure, filth or noxious or offensive matter or thing; and, generally, for preventing the pollution so as to endanger health of any supply of water which the public within its district has a right to use and does use for drinking or domestic purposes and for purifying any such supply which has become so polluted, and for preventing the pollution of streams so as to be a nu isance or a danger to health. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) shall be made with due regard to the interests of agricultural or any other industries. (3) Any person who contravenes any provision of regulations made in terms of subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level six or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding si x months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.