56ZOUrgent situations

56ZO Urgent situations

(1)  A water and sewerage officer may apply to a justice of the peace for a warrant by telephone, facsimile, electronic mail or other prescribed means if the officer considers the urgency of the situation requires it.

(2)  The justice of the peace may complete and sign the warrant in the same way as for a warrant applied for in person if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for issuing the warrant urgently.

(3)  The justice of the peace must –

(a) inform the relevant water and sewerage officer of –

(i) the terms of the warrant; and

(ii) the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant was signed; and

(iii) the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant ceases to have effect; and

(b) record on the warrant the reasons for granting it.

(4)  The relevant water and sewerage officer must –

(a) complete a form of warrant in the same terms as the warrant signed by the justice of the peace; and

(b) write on the form –

(i) the name of the justice of the peace; and

(ii) the date on which, and the time at which, the warrant was signed; and

(c) send the completed form of warrant to the justice of the peace not later than the day after the warrant is executed or ceases to have effect.

(5)  On receipt of the form of warrant, the justice of the peace must attach it to the warrant that the justice of the peace signed.

(6)  A form of warrant completed by a water and sewerage officer under subsection (4) has the same force as a warrant signed by the justice of the peace under subsection (2) .