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Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

Miscellaneous provisions - Offences - Offences relating to water supply network

308: Engaging in conduct relating to water supply network that causes specified serious risk

You could also call this:

"Don't put water supply networks at risk on purpose or by not caring, or you could get in big trouble."

Illustration for Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025

If you do something that puts a water supply network at risk, you might be in trouble. You have to mean to cause the risk or not care that you are causing it. This is a serious offence and you could get in trouble for it.

If you get convicted, you could go to prison for up to 2 years or get a fine of up to $75,000, or both, if you are an individual. If you are a company, you could get a fine of up to $1.5 million.

You can compare this to a previous law to see how it has changed.

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This page was last updated on

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1006755.

Topics:
Crime and justice > Criminal lawEnvironment and resources > Food and water safetyGovernment and voting > Local councils
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307: Carrying out building work over or near water services infrastructure without approval, or

"Building near water pipes without permission is against the law"

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309: Negligently engaging in conduct relating to water supply network that causes specified serious risk, or

"Causing a big risk to the water supply network by being careless can lead to a big fine."

Part 5Miscellaneous provisions
Offences: Offences relating to water supply network

308Engaging in conduct relating to water supply network that causes specified serious risk

  1. A person commits an offence if they—

  2. engage in conduct relating to a water supply network that causes a specified serious risk; and
    1. intentionally cause, or are reckless as to causing, that specified serious risk.

      1. A person who commits an offence against this section is liable on conviction,—

      2. for an individual, to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 2 years or a fine not exceeding $75,000, or both:
        1. for a body corporate or an unincorporated body, to a fine not exceeding $1.5 million.

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