Environmental compliance for manufacturers
- 1 step
UK Act of Parliament
1968
United Kingdom
Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
24 compliance obligations, 3 practical guides · 2 journeys
Penalty landscape
3 of 24 obligations carry a fine up to £1,000. 6 carry different penalties and 15 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 7
- Occupier 6
- Trader 1
Plus 10 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Water Framework Directive compliance for businesses
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Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
2 guidesMentioned in related content
1 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
Occupiers also bound by 101 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England/Wales comparison) 2005 23 duties
- Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 2006 21 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 15 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 13 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 12 duties
Traders also bound by 219 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 952 duties
- TULRCA 1992 1992 39 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 39 duties
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 2013 39 duties
- The Customs (Import Duty) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 2018 33 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — General Provisions as to Sewerage
Duty of local authority to provide for sewerage of their area.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must provide and extend public sewerage systems Statutory regulator
Maintenance of public sewers and other works.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must maintain and repair public sewers and treatment works Statutory regulator
Power of local authority to close or alter public sewers etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must provide alternative sewerage before closing existing works Statutory regulator
Loan of temporary sanitary conveniences.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water may provide temporary toilets during sewer works Statutory regulator
Emptying of septic tanks.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must empty septic tanks upon request Statutory regulator
Duty of local authority to keep map showing public sewers etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must maintain and provide access to sewer network maps Statutory regulator
Rights of owners and occupiers to connect with and drain into public sewers etc.
Fine up to £40,000- Make unauthorised connection to public sewers or water systems Any Person
Direction by local authority as to manner of construction of works.
Fine up to £2,500- Construct drainage or sewage works contrary to official directions Any Person
Compensation for loss etc. resulting from exercise of powers under this Part of this Act.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must compensate for losses caused by sewerage works Statutory regulator
Buildings not to interfere with sewers.
- Obtain consent before building over or near Scottish Water sewers Trader
Browse 15 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Construction etc. of public sewers and public sewage treatment works.
Authorisation of construction of certain private sewers etc.
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Functions outwith the area of a local authority.
Agreements between highway and local authorities.
Agreements as to provision of sewers etc. for new premises.
Rights of owners and occupiers to connect with and drain into sewers etc. of another local authority.
Owner or occupier to remedy defects in drains and other works.
Vesting of sewers and other works in local authority.
Vesting of certain private sewers.
Local authority may take over private sewage treatment works.
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Protection for statutory undertakers.
Restriction on working minerals.
Part II — Trade Effluents
Right to discharge into public sewers.
Fine up to £40,000- Discharge trade waste into public sewers without permission Occupier
New discharge only with consent of the authority.
- Obtain consent from Scottish Water before discharging trade effluent Occupier
Time to dispose of application.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must decide on trade effluent applications within set timeframes Statutory regulator
Intimation of decision.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must provide reasons for trade effluent decisions Statutory regulator
Furnishing of information.
- Provide information about existing discharges to Scottish Water Occupier
Register for purposes of Part II.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Scottish Water must maintain a public register of sewerage agreements Statutory regulator
Browse 13 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Meaning of new discharge.
Procedure on application for consent to new discharge.
Decision on application.
Priority substances etc.
Appeal against refusals and conditions.
Review of consents, conditions and refusals.
Meaning of existing discharge.
Right to continue existing discharge.
Review of continuation of existing discharge.
Agreements as respects trade premises.
Exclusion from register of information affecting national security.
Exclusion from register of commercially confidential information
Power to extend Part II to other effluents.
Part IIA — Private sewage treatment works
Notice and effect
- Notify other owners before performing common maintenance on private sewers Any Person
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Application of Part
Other rules
Common maintenance
Review of notice
Recovery of cost
Liability of owner
Controlled Activities Regulations
Part III — Miscellaneous and General
Power of local authorities to require information as to ownership etc. of premises.
Fine up to £1,000- Fail to provide information on property ownership or interest Occupier
Production of plans and furnishing of information to authorities.
Fine up to £1,000- Fail to provide sewer plans or information to Scottish Water Occupier
Certain matter not to be passed into drains.
2 years imprisonment- Discharging harmful substances into public sewers Any Person
Offence as to fat, oil or grease
2 years imprisonment- Unlawfully discharging fat, oil, or grease into public sewers Any Person
Powers of entry.
Fine up to £1,000- Obstructing access to land or premises for sewerage works Any Person
Restriction on disclosure of information.
Unlimited fine- Unlawfully disclose trade secrets or sensitive business information Any Person
Notices etc. to be in writing.
- Ensure all sewerage communications are in writing Occupier
Browse 18 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Local authority to have right to sewage.
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Breaking open of streets, etc.
Execution of works by local authorities for other persons.
Power to require occupier to permit works to be executed by owner.
Damage caused by fat, oil or grease
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Procedure on appeals to Secretary of State.
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Local enactments.
Application of Act to Crown premises.
Saving for Coast Protection Act 1949.
Expenses.
Orders.
Interpretation.
Amendments and repeals.
Short title, extent and commencement.
Schedules
Browse 2 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS
ENACTMENTS REPEALED
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Animal by-products: categories, approval, hygiene and disposal (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Trade effluent appeals (opens in a new tab) Publication
- NI Water trade effluent (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Trade effluent consent in England and Wales (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Trade effluent consent in Scotland (GOV.UK) (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Environment Agency (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Water Industry Commission for Scotland
Economic regulator for the Scottish water industry. Sets charges for Scottish Water and promotes efficiency and value for money.
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Regulators
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