Duty of Municipality to supply water.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Municipality to take steps, from time to time, either on its own, or through a Department of the State Government or any institution or organization of the State Government or agency, - (a) to ascertain the sufficiency and wholesomeness of water supplied within the municipal area, (b) to provide, or to arrange to provide, a supply of wholesome water in pipes to every part of the municipal area in which there are houses, for domestic purposes of the occupants thereof, and for taking the pipes affording such supply to such point or points as shall enable the houses to be connected thereto at a reasonable cost, so, however, that the Municipality shall not be required to do anything which is not practicable at a reasonable cost or to provide such supply to any part of the municipal area where such supply is already available at the point or points as aforesaid, and (c) to provide, as far as possible, a supply of wholesome water, otherwise than in pipes, to every part of the municipal area in which there are houses, for domestic purposes of the occupants thereof, and to which it is not practicable to provide supply in pipes at a reasonable cost, and in which danger to health may arise from the insufficiency or unwholesomeness of the existing supply and a public supply is required and may be provided at a reasonable cost, and to secure that such supply is available within a reasonable distance of every house in that part. (2) If any question arises under clause (b) of sub-section (1) as to whether anything is or is not practicable at a reasonable cost or as to the point or points to which pipes must be taken in order to enable houses to be connected to such point or points at a reasonable cost, or if any question arises under clause (c) of that sub-section as to whether a public supply may be provided at a reasonable cost, such question shall be decided by the Executive Authority.