Statutory nuisances

←→ Navigate · Click subsection badges to collapse · Press ? for help

7. (1) In this Part — “to abate” includes to take all reasonably practical measures to prevent recurrence.

For the purposes of this Act any —

premises or part thereof so situated or so constructed or so dilapidated or so damp or so defective in lighting or ventilation as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

premises which are occupied whether by day or night and not provided with, or so situated or constructed that they cannot be provided with, sufficient and sanitary latrines;

premises or part thereof so overcrowded, verminous or dirty as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

well or cistern or other source or means of storing water, whether public or private, the water from which is used or likely to be used by human beings for drinking or domestic purposes, or in connection with any dairy or place where food intended for human consumption is made or prepared, which is in a condition liable to render such water prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

wash house, bathhouse, latrine or collection of garbage or refuse harbouring mosquitoes in any state of development;

gutter, drain, chute, stack, pipe, downpipe, water tank or cistern which causes damp in any dwelling so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance; Public Health Act (2026 Revision) Section 7 c Revised as at 31st December, 2025 Page 13

deposit of material in or on any building or street which causes damp in any building so as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

street or part thereof, stream, watercourse, ditch, gutter, drain, soakaway, pit, well, pool, cistern, water tank, sink, waste pipe, slop tank, dustbin, garbage receptacle, ash pit, refuse pit, soil pipe, septic tank, latrine, sewer, cesspool, cesspit, dung pit or manure heap, so foul or in such a state or so situated or constructed as to be offensive or prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

noxious matter or waste flowing or discharged from any premises into any street, or into the gutter or side-channel of any street, or into any gully, swamp, watercourse, irrigation channel or bed thereof, not approved by a Medical Officer of Health;

furnace, chimney, fireplace, bonfire or other place from which is emitted smoke or other unconsumed combustible matter in such quantity or in such a manner as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

growth of weeds, long grass, trees, bushes, hedge or vegetation of any kind which is or could become prejudicial to health and any fruit or vegetable that is of itself dangerous to children or others either by its effluvia or owing to any part of it being eaten;

collection of water in any well, pool, watercourse, gutter, depression or excavation or any barrel, bucket, bottle, tin, coconut shell or other article whether serviceable or useless, which contains or is likely to collect and hold water in which mosquitoes are likely to multiply or develop;

collection of water, sewage, rubbish, refuse, garbage or other fluid or solid matter which permits or facilitates the multiplication of parasites of man or animals or of organisms which carry parasites which may otherwise cause or facilitate the infection of man or animals by such parasites;

area of land kept or permitted to remain in such a state as to be prejudicial or offensive to health or a nuisance;

animal so kept as to be offensive or prejudicial to the health of mankind;

stable, cowshed or other premises used for keeping animals or birds which is offensive or prejudicial to the health of mankind;

accumulation or deposit of refuse, garbage, offal, manure or other matter whatsoever which is prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

building so constructed or any premises in such a state or condition as to harbour or be likely to harbour rats;

accumulation of stones, timber or other materials whatsoever which harbours or is likely to harbour rats;

factory, workshop or other trade premises causing or emitting effluvia, gases, vapours, dust or smoke in such a manner as to be offensive or Section 8 Public Health Act (2026 Revision) Page 14 Revised as at 31st December, 2025 c prejudicial to health or a nuisance to persons either within or outside such premises;

factory, workshop or other trade premises not kept clean and free from offensive smells arising from their operation, latrines or drains or so overcrowded, ill lighted or ventilated as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance;

vehicle or vessel, in such a condition as to be offensive, prejudicial to health or a nuisance; and

noise or vibration (other than noise or vibration caused by an aircraft) which is a nuisance, is a statutory nuisance.

Public Health Act

16 Parts