OpenLegislation

Flood and Water Management Act 2010

2010 c. 29 · Enacted 8 April 2010 · Extends to England, Wales and Scotland

Not fully up to date. 7 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 15 December 2025.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 3 para. 8(4)words insertedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 2 para. 406(a)
Sch. 3 para. 14(4)words insertedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 2 para. 406(b)
s. 42(3)repealedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 146(b)
s. 35(2)words repealedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 145
Sch. 3 para. 12(4)(c)words substitutedWater Act 2014 s. 88(b)
Sch. 3 para. 12(4)(c)words insertedWater Act 2014 s. 88(a)
s. 42(2)repealedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 146(a)

An Act to make provision about water, including provision about the management of risks in connection with flooding and coastal erosion.

[8th April 2010]

Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Contents

  1. Part 1: Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management
  2. 1. Key concepts and definitions
  3. 1“Flood” and “coastal erosion”
  4. 2“Risk”
  5. 3“Risk management”
  6. 4“Flood risk management function”
  7. 5“Coastal erosion risk management function”
  8. 6Other definitions
  9. 2. Strategies, co-operation and funding
  10. 7National flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy: England
  11. 8National flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy: Wales
  12. 9Local flood risk management strategies: England
  13. 10Local flood risk management strategies: Wales
  14. 11Effect of national and local strategies: England
  15. 12Effect of national and local strategies: Wales
  16. 13Co-operation and arrangements
  17. 14Power to request information
  18. 15Civil sanctions
  19. 16Funding
  20. 17Levies
  21. 3. Supplemental powers and duties
  22. 18Reports about flood and coastal erosion risk management
  23. 19Local authorities: investigations
  24. 20Ministerial directions
  25. 21Lead local authorities: duty to maintain a register
  26. 4. Regional Flood and Coastal Committees for regions in England
  27. 22Establishment
  28. 23Consultation and consent
  29. 24Membership
  30. 25Money
  31. 26“The Minister” Repealed
  32. 26A“The appropriate agency” Repealed
  33. 4A. Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee for Wales
  34. 26BEstablishment and functions
  35. 26CConstitution
  36. 26DPayments relating to members
  37. 5. General
  38. 27Sustainable development
  39. 28Power to make further amendments
  40. 29Restructuring
  41. 30Designation of features
  42. 31Amendment of other Acts
  43. Part 2: Miscellaneous
  44. 32Sustainable drainage
  45. 33Reservoirs
  46. 34Special administration
  47. 35Provision of infrastructure
  48. 36Water use: temporary bans
  49. 37Civil sanctions
  50. 38Incidental flooding or coastal erosion: appropriate agency
  51. 39Incidental flooding or coastal erosion: local authorities
  52. 40Building regulations: flood resistance
  53. 41Compulsory works orders
  54. 42Agreements on new drainage systems
  55. 43Drainage: concessionary charges for community groups
  56. 44Social tariffs
  57. 45Water and sewerage charges: non-owner occupiers
  58. 46Abolition of Fisheries Committee (Scotland)
  59. Part 3: General
  60. 47Pre-consolidation amendments
  61. 48Subordinate legislation
  62. 49Technical provision
  63. Schedule 1: Risk Management: Designation of Features
  64. “Designating authority”
  65. 1Paragraph 1
  66. “Responsible authority”
  67. 2Paragraph 2
  68. “Owner”
  69. 3Paragraph 3
  70. Designation
  71. 4Paragraph 4
  72. Effect of designation
  73. 5Paragraph 5
  74. Consent to alteration, removal or replacement
  75. 6Paragraph 6
  76. Provisional designation notice: procedure
  77. 7Paragraph 7
  78. Designation notice: procedure
  79. 8Paragraph 8
  80. Cancellation
  81. 9Paragraph 9
  82. Notice to other authorities
  83. 10Paragraph 10
  84. Enforcement notice
  85. 11Paragraph 11
  86. Emergency powers
  87. 12Paragraph 12
  88. Powers of entry
  89. 13Paragraph 13
  90. Compensation for owners and third parties
  91. 14Paragraph 14
  92. Appeals
  93. 15Paragraph 15
  94. Notices and applications
  95. 16Paragraph 16
  96. “The Minister”
  97. 17Paragraph 17
  98. Schedule 2: Risk Management: Amendment of Other Acts
  99. Coast Protection Act 1949
  100. 1Paragraph 1
  101. 2Paragraph 2
  102. 3Paragraph 3
  103. 4Paragraph 4
  104. 5Paragraph 5
  105. 6Paragraph 6
  106. 7Paragraph 7
  107. 8Paragraph 8
  108. 9Paragraph 9
  109. 10Paragraph 10
  110. 11Paragraph 11
  111. 12Paragraph 12
  112. 13Paragraph 13
  113. 14Paragraph 14
  114. 15Paragraph 15
  115. 16Paragraph 16
  116. 17Paragraph 17
  117. 18Paragraph 18
  118. 19Paragraph 19
  119. 20Paragraph 20
  120. 21Paragraph 21
  121. 22Paragraph 22
  122. 23Paragraph 23
  123. 24Paragraph 24
  124. Land Drainage Act 1991
  125. 25Paragraph 25
  126. 26Paragraph 26
  127. 27Paragraph 27
  128. 28Paragraph 28
  129. 29Paragraph 29
  130. 30Paragraph 30
  131. 31Paragraph 31
  132. 32Paragraph 32 Not yet in force
  133. 33Paragraph 33
  134. 34Paragraph 34
  135. 35Paragraph 35
  136. 36Paragraph 36
  137. 37Paragraph 37
  138. 38Paragraph 38
  139. 39Paragraph 39
  140. Water Resources Act 1991
  141. 40Paragraph 40
  142. 41Paragraph 41
  143. 42Paragraph 42 Not yet in force
  144. 43Paragraph 43
  145. 44Paragraph 44
  146. 45Paragraph 45
  147. 46Paragraph 46
  148. 47Paragraph 47
  149. 48Paragraph 48
  150. 49Paragraph 49
  151. Water Industry Act 1991
  152. 50Paragraph 50
  153. Environment Act 1995
  154. 51Paragraph 51
  155. 52Paragraph 52
  156. 53Paragraph 53
  157. ...
  158. 54Paragraph 54 Repealed
  159. Schedule 3: Sustainable Drainage
  160. “Drainage system”
  161. 1Paragraph 1
  162. “Sustainable drainage”
  163. 2Paragraph 2
  164. Cross-border systems
  165. 3Paragraph 3
  166. “The Minister”
  167. 4Paragraph 4
  168. National standards
  169. 5Paragraph 5
  170. Approving body
  171. 6Paragraph 6
  172. Requirement for approval
  173. 7Paragraph 7
  174. Applications for approval
  175. 8Paragraph 8
  176. Free-standing application for approval
  177. 9Paragraph 9
  178. Combined applications
  179. 10Paragraph 10
  180. Determination of application for approval
  181. 11Paragraph 11
  182. Non-performance bonds
  183. 12Paragraph 12
  184. Fees
  185. 13Paragraph 13
  186. Enforcement
  187. 14Paragraph 14
  188. Guidance
  189. 15Paragraph 15
  190. Sewers and roads
  191. 16Paragraph 16
  192. Duty to adopt
  193. 17Paragraph 17
  194. Exception 1: single-property systems
  195. 18Paragraph 18
  196. Exception 2: roads
  197. 19Paragraph 19
  198. Exception 3: systems under section 114A Water Industry Act 1991
  199. 19AParagraph 19A
  200. Additional exceptions
  201. 20Paragraph 20
  202. Power to adopt
  203. 21Paragraph 21
  204. Effect of adoption
  205. 22Paragraph 22
  206. Process of adoption in pursuance of duty to adopt
  207. 23Paragraph 23
  208. Process of voluntary adoption
  209. 24Paragraph 24
  210. Appeals
  211. 25Paragraph 25
  212. Building Act 1984
  213. 26Paragraph 26
  214. New Roads and Street Works Act 1991
  215. 27Paragraph 27
  216. Works on public land
  217. 28Paragraph 28
  218. Schedule 4: Reservoirs
  219. Introduction
  220. 1Paragraph 1
  221. “Large raised reservoir”
  222. 2Paragraph 2
  223. 3Paragraph 3
  224. Registration
  225. 4Paragraph 4
  226. 5Paragraph 5
  227. 6Paragraph 6
  228. High-risk reservoirs
  229. 7Paragraph 7
  230. 8Paragraph 8
  231. Panels of engineers
  232. 9Paragraph 9
  233. Construction and alteration
  234. 10Paragraph 10
  235. 11Paragraph 11
  236. High-risk reservoirs: inspections
  237. 12Paragraph 12
  238. 13Paragraph 13
  239. 14Paragraph 14
  240. 15Paragraph 15
  241. High-risk reservoirs: monitoring and supervision
  242. 16Paragraph 16
  243. 17Paragraph 17
  244. 18Paragraph 18
  245. 19Paragraph 19
  246. Flood plans
  247. 20Paragraph 20
  248. 21Paragraph 21
  249. 22Paragraph 22
  250. 23Paragraph 23
  251. 24Paragraph 24
  252. Discontinuance
  253. 25Paragraph 25
  254. 26Paragraph 26
  255. Abandonment
  256. 27Paragraph 27
  257. 28Paragraph 28
  258. Powers of entry
  259. 29Paragraph 29
  260. Appeals
  261. 30Paragraph 30
  262. Directions of engineers
  263. 31Paragraph 31
  264. Assessment of reports and statements
  265. 32Paragraph 32
  266. Information and reports
  267. 33Paragraph 33
  268. 34Paragraph 34
  269. Enforcement: supplementary
  270. 35Paragraph 35
  271. 36Paragraph 36
  272. Arrangements for civil protection: charges
  273. 37Paragraph 37
  274. Regulations and orders
  275. 38Paragraph 38
  276. Charges
  277. 39Paragraph 39
  278. Power to make further provision
  279. 40Paragraph 40
  280. Regulatory impact assessment
  281. 41Paragraph 41
  282. Ministerial responsibility
  283. 42Paragraph 42
  284. Cross-border England-Scotland reservoirs
  285. 43Paragraph 43
  286. Schedule 5: Special Administration
  287. Transfer schemes
  288. 1Paragraph 1
  289. 2Paragraph 2
  290. Objectives
  291. 3Paragraph 3
  292. Financial assistance
  293. 4Paragraph 4
  294. Hive down
  295. 5Paragraph 5
  296. Application of general administration law
  297. 6Paragraph 6
  298. Strategic supplies
  299. 7Paragraph 7