Text of the provision
Art. 515. The owner of a piece of land on which there are defensive works to check waters, or on which, due to a change of their course, it may be necessary to reconstruct such works, shall be obliged, at his election, either to make the necessary repairs or construction himself, or to permit them to be done, without damage to him, by the owners of the lands which suffer or are clearly exposed to suffer injury.
(420)
Civil Code of the Philippines, Republic Act No. 386, approved June 18, 1949, effective August 30, 1950. Reproduced in full; verified verbatim against the LawPhil and ChanRobles official-text renderings.
What this article means
An owner whose land holds works built to check water — or whose land needs such works rebuilt because the water changed course — must either make the repairs himself or let the neighbours do them, at his own choice and without damage to him. The neighbours entitled to act are those suffering or clearly exposed to injury.
Related provisions
- Article 514 — Abandoned Artificial Waters Become Public.
- Article 516 — Clearing Obstructions To Water.
Cases interpreting this article
- Authorities on this article will be added here as each is verified against primary sources.