A water pipe serving housing passed through an embankment. The pipe broke, and the escaping water led to the collapse of the bank to the expense of the applicants.
Held: The fact that an accumulation of water could give rise to damage if it escaped was not enough to create strict liability in the council responsible for the pipe. The land was being used in the ordinary course of enjoyment of the land, even though at the point of escape it was not directly from a dwelling. The pipe laid was not unusual, and the exemption from Rylands v Fletcher liability applied.
Citations:
Gazette 01-Mar-2001
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Cited – Rylands v Fletcher HL 1868
The defendant had constructed a reservoir to supply water to his mill. Water escaped into nearby disused mineshafts, and in turn flooded the plaintiff’s mine. The defendant appealed a finding that he was liable in damages.
Held: The defendant . .
Cited by:
Appeal from – Transco plc v Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council HL 19-Nov-2003
Rylands does not apply to Statutory Works
The claimant laid a large gas main through an embankment. A large water supply pipe nearby broke, and very substantial volumes of water escaped, causing the embankment to slip, and the gas main to fracture.
Held: The rule in Rylands v Fletcher . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Nuisance
Updated: 08 May 2022; Ref: scu.89975