OpenLegislation

Water Act 1973

1973 c. 37 · Enacted 18 July 1973 · Extends to United Kingdom

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 27 March 2009.

An Act to make provision for a national policy for water, for the conferring and discharge of functions as to water (including sewerage and sewage disposal, fisheries and land drainage) and as to recreation and amenity in connection with water, for the making of charges by water authorities and other statutory water undertakers, and for connected purposes.[18th July 1973]C1

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Power to modify conferred (7.2.1994) by 1993 c. 48, ss. 188-190, 193(2), Sch. 6 Pt. II, para. 17(3)(e); S.I. 1994/86, art. 2-

Contents

  1. Part I
  2. 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  3. 4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  4. 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  5. 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  6. 7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  7. Part II: Functions of Water Authorities
  8. 9Transfer to water authorities of functions of river authorities.
  9. 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  10. 14Section 14
  11. 15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  12. 18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  13. 19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  14. 20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  15. 23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  16. 24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  17. 25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  18. 26Section 26
  19. 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  20. Part III
  21. 29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  22. 32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  23. 32A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  24. Part IV: Miscellaneous
  25. 33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  26. 34Consequential, transitional and supplementary provision.
  27. 35Isles of Scilly.
  28. 36Orders, regulations and byelaws.
  29. 37Expenses.
  30. 38Interpretation.
  31. 39Commencement.
  32. 40Short title, minor amendments, repeals and extent.
  33. Schedule S 1 AND 2: . . .
  34. Schedule 3: Administration, Finance, etc., of Water Authorities and the National Water Council
  35. Part I
  36. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  37. Part II
  38. 22Paragraph 22 Repealed
  39. Part III
  40. 31Paragraph 31 Repealed
  41. Schedule S 4 AND 4A: . . .
  42. Schedule 5: . . .
  43. Schedule 6: Consequential, Transitional and Supplementary Provision
  44. Part I
  45. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  46. Part II: Local Acts and Instruments
  47. 11Paragraph 11
  48. 12Paragraph 12
  49. 13Paragraph 13
  50. 14Paragraph 14
  51. 15Paragraph 15
  52. 16Paragraph 16
  53. 17Paragraph 17
  54. Schedule 7: . . .
  55. Schedule 8: Minor and Consequential Amendments, etc.
  56. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  57. 20Paragraph 20 Repealed
  58. 22Paragraph 22 Repealed
  59. 24Paragraph 24 Repealed
  60. 32Paragraph 32 Repealed
  61. 37Paragraph 37 Repealed
  62. 38Paragraph 38 Repealed
  63. 39Paragraph 39 Repealed
  64. 40Paragraph 40 Repealed
  65. 41Paragraph 41 Repealed
  66. Diseases of Fish Act 1937
  67. 43Paragraph 43 Repealed
  68. Public Health (Drainage of Trade Premises) Act 1937
  69. 44Paragraph 44
  70. 45Paragraph 45 Repealed
  71. 49Paragraph 49 Repealed
  72. 50Paragraph 50 Repealed
  73. 51Paragraph 51 Repealed
  74. 63Paragraph 63 Repealed
  75. Town Development Act 1952
  76. 64Paragraph 64
  77. 65Paragraph 65
  78. Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1953
  79. 66Paragraph 66 Repealed
  80. 67Paragraph 67 Repealed
  81. 68Paragraph 68 Repealed
  82. 69Paragraph 69 Repealed
  83. 70Paragraph 70 Repealed
  84. 72Paragraph 72 Repealed
  85. 76Paragraph 76 Repealed
  86. 78Paragraph 78 Repealed
  87. 80Paragraph 80
  88. 81Paragraph 81 Repealed
  89. 83Paragraph 83 Repealed
  90. 84Paragraph 84 Repealed
  91. 85Paragraph 85 Repealed
  92. Harbours Act 1964
  93. 87Paragraph 87
  94. 88Paragraph 88 Repealed
  95. 90Paragraph 90 Repealed
  96. 91Paragraph 91 Repealed
  97. Agriculture Act 1970
  98. 93Paragraph 93
  99. 94Paragraph 94 Repealed
  100. 95Paragraph 95 Repealed
  101. 98Paragraph 98 Repealed
  102. Schedule 9: REPEALS

1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

9Transfer to water authorities of functions of river authorities.

F1Subject of Part IV of Schedule 5 to this Act and to the provisions of any instrument under this Act, the functions which immediately before 1st April 1974 are exercisable by river authorities as respects their respective areas under any enactment or instrument shall be exercisable by water authorities as respects water authority areas and accordingly, but subject to any such provision, in any enactment or instrument—

(a)

any reference to a river authority or any reference which falls to be construed as a reference to a river authority shall, except where it is a reference to a specified river authority or is to be construed as such, be construed as a reference to a water authority; and

(b)

any reference to a river authority area or any reference which falls to be construed as a reference to a river authority area shall, except where it is a reference to a specified area or is to be construed as such, be construed as a reference to water authority area.

10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

14 E+W

1)—(3)

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(4)

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5)—(8)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

26 E+W

(1)

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2)—(4)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1 E+W

29. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

32. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

32A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .F1

34Consequential, transitional and supplementary provision.C2

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(2)

F2The provisions of Part II of that Schedule, being provisions which reproduce with modifications certain provisions of section 262 of the 1972 Act (local Acts and instruments), shall have effect with respect to local statutory provisions in force immediately before 1st April 1974.

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

35Isles of Scilly.

1)(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(3)

F2Except as provided by an order under this section, this Act shall not extend to the Isles of Scilly.

36Orders, regulations and byelaws.

(1)

F1Any power to make orders or regulations conferred on the appropriate Minister or Ministers by or by virtue of this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument.

(2)

Any power to make an order conferred by or by virtue of any provision of this Act shall include power to make an order varying or revoking any order previously made under or by virtue of that provision.

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

37Expenses.

F1There shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament—

(a)

any expenses incurred by any Minister under this Act;

(b)

any increase attributable to the provisions of this Act in the sums payable out of moneys so provided under any other enactment.

38Interpretation.

(1)

F1In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the following meanings respectively, that is to say—

  • “the appropriate Minister or Ministers” and “the Ministers” have the meanings assigned to them by section 1 above;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

  • “county”, “district”, “county council”, and “district council”, mean respectively a county, district, county council and district council established by the 1972 Act;

  • “development corporation” means a development corporation established under the M1New Towns Act 1965 or any Act replaced by that Act;

  • “existing local authority” means a local authority within the meaning of the M2Local Government Act 1933;

  • “joint water board” and “joint water committee” mean respectively a joint board and a joint committee which has been constituted under section 9 of the M3Water Act 1945 and on which a statutory water company is represented;

  • “land drainage” includes defence against water (including sea water), irrigation other than spray irrigation, warping and the provision of flood warning systems, and “land drainage functions” shall be construed accordingly;

  • “local authority” means a county council, . . . F3 a district council, a London borough council or the Common Council of the City of London;

  • “local land drainage committee” and “regional land drainage committee”mean respectively the committees F4referred to by those names in sections 2 and 4 respectively of the M4Land Drainage Act 1976;

  • “local land drainage district” means a local land drainage district F5established or continued under section 4 of the M5Land Drainage Act 1976 and any part of a water authority area which is to be treated as a local land drainage district for the purposes of sections 45 to 49 of that Act (in accordance with section 89(2) of that Act);

  • “local statutory provision” means a provision of a local Act (including an Act confirming a provisional order) or a provision of a public general Act passed with respect to some area or a provision of an instrument made under any such local or public general Act or of an instrument in the nature of a local enactment made under any other Act;

  • F6“London excluded area” has the meaning given by section 116 of the M6Land Drainage Act 1976;

  • “the 1972 Act” means the M7Local Government Act 1972;

  • “public authority” includes a statutory water company;

  • “public sewer” has the same meaning as in the M8Public Health Act 1936 and “private sewer” shall be construed accordingly;

  • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7

  • “river authority”, “underground strata”, “inland water”, “watercourse” and “water resources” have the same meanings respectively as in the M9Water Resources Act 1963;

  • “statutory water company” means a company authorised immediately before the passing of this Act by any local statutory provision to supply water or a company in whom the assets of any company so authorised have subsequently become vested;

  • “statutory water undertakers” has the meaning assigned to it by section 11(6) above;

  • “supply of water in bulk” and “water fittings” have the same meanings as in the M10Water Act 1945;

(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8

(3)

Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, applied or extended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.

39Commencement.

(1)

F1The following provisions of this Act shall come into operation on 1st April 1974, that is to say—

  • section 9, except so far as relating to sections 21 and 22 of the M1Land Drainage Act 1930, Part VI of the M2Local Government Act 1948, section 21 of the M3Land Drainage Act 1961 and section 82 of the M4Water Resources Act 1963;

  • section 10;

  • section 11, except subsection (6) so far as relating to section 12 of the Water Act 1945;

  • section 12(1) and (6) to (11), except subsections (9) and (11) so far as relating to section 12 of the Water Act 1945;

  • section 13(3) and (4);

  • section 14;

  • section 16;

  • section 17;

  • section 18;

  • section 19(6) to (11);

  • section 20;

  • section 21(3) to (6);

  • section 24;

  • section 25;

  • section 28;

  • section 29(1);

  • section 33;

  • section 40(2), except so far as relating to the amendments of the M5House of Commons Disqualification Act 1957 made by Schedule 8;

  • section 40(3).

(2)

Any provision of, or any instrument made under, another Act which is modified or amended by a provision of this Act which comes into operation before 1st Aril 1974 shall between the passing of this Act and that date have effect both as modified or amended by this Act and as it would have had effect without the modification or amendment.

40Short title, minor amendments, repeals and extent.

(1)

This Act may be cited as the Water Act 1973.

(2)

The enactments specified in Schedule 8 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments, modifications and adaptations set out in that Schedule, being amendments, modifications and adaptations which are consequential on the foregoing provisions of this Act and minor amendments.

(3)

The enactments specified in Schedule 9 to this Act (which include enactments that were obsolete or unecessary before the passing of this Act) are hereby repealed to the extent mentioned in column 3 of that Schedule.

(4)

The following provisions of this Act, that is to say—

(a)

section 4(5) to (8), so far as relating to the matters mentioned in section 4(5)(d) and (e);

(b)

section 9, so far as relating to any enactment which extends to Scotland;

(c)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(d)

paragraphs 43, and 93 of Schedule 8;

(e)

in Schedule 9, the repeals in the M1Water (Scotland) Act 1967; and

(f)

so much of this Act as relates to the interpretation or commencement of the foregoing provisions;

extend to Scotland, but except as aforesaid this Act does not extend to Scotland.

(5)

This Act, except section 4(5) to (8), so far as relating to the matters mentioned in section 4(5)(d) and (e) . . . F2 and so much of this Act as relates to the interpretation of those provisions, does not extend to Northern Ireland.

(6)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

22

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31

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1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

11

F1Subject to paragraph 12 below, any local statutory provision to which this Part of this Schedule applies and which is not continued in force by any other provision of this Act shall—

(a)

notwithstanding the transfer of functions and abolition of bodies effected by or under this Act and, in the case of an instrument made under any enactment, notwithstanding the repeal of that enactment, continue to apply on and after 1st April 1974 to, but only to, the area, things or persons to which or to whom it applies before that date;

(b)

have effect subject to any necessary modifications and to the modifications made by paragraph 13 below;

but the continuation by this paragraph of an instrument made under any enactment shall not be construed as prejudicing any power to vary or revoke the instrument which is exercisable apart from this paragraph.

12

F1Paragraph 11 above shall have effect subject to the provisions of—

(a)

this Act and any Act passed after this Act and before 1st April 1974;

(b)

any order made under section 254 of the 1972 Act, as applied by section 34 above, or paragraph 14 or 15 below.

13

F1As from 1st April 1974 any local statutory provision to which this Part of this Schedule applies and which immediately before that date applies to an area which on that date becomes comprised in one or more water authority areas shall have effect, so far as relates to functions which on that date become exercisable by a water authority and to things done or falling to be done in the exercise of those functions, as if for any reference to the body by whom the functions were exercisable immediately before that date there were substituted a reference to that water authority, or where the former area becomes comprised in two or more water authority areas, the water authority for the water authority area in or as respects which that thing falls to be done.

14

F1Paragraph 13 above shall have effect subject to any provision to the contrary made by, or by any instrument made under, this Act and, without prejudice to the foregoing, the Secretary of State may by order provide for the exercise of functions conferred by any local statutory provision to which this Part of this Schedule applies and exclude the operation of that paragraph where it would otherwise conflict with any provision of the order.

15C1

F1Where any local statutory provision is continued in force in any area by paragraph 11 above or is amended or modified in its application to any area by an order under section 254 of the 1972 Act, as applied by section 34 above, the appropriate Minister or Ministers may by that order, or in the case of a provision continued as aforesaid, by an order under this paragraph—

(a)

extend the provision throughout the water authority area in which it is continued in force or extend it to a part of that area in which it was not previously in force;

(b)

provide that that provision as so continued, amended, modified or extended shall have effect in that area or part to the exclusion of any enactment for corresponding purposes, including any enactment contained in or applied by this Act;

(c)

make such modifications of any such enactment in its application to that area or part as would secure that the enactment will operate harmoniously with the said provision in that area or part;

(d)

repeal or revoke any local statutory provision to which this Part of this Schedule applies and which appears to the appropriate Minister or Ministers to have become spent, obsolete or unnecessary or to have been substantially superseded by any enactment or instrument which applies or may be applied to the area, persons or things to which or to whom that provision applies;

(e)

make such modifications of any local statutory provision to which this Part of this Schedule applies in its application to a water authority area or part of such an area as appear to the appropriate Minister or Ministers to be expedient.

16

F1A statutory instrument containing an order under paragraph 15 above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

17

F1This Part of this Schedule applies to any local statutory provision in force immediately before 1st April 1974 and relating to—

(a)

a body abolished by section 33 above;

(b)

functions which immediately before that date are exercisable by an existing local authority and on that date become exercisable by a water authority; or

(c)

some area constituted for the exercise of functions affected by this Act and situated wholly or partly within Greater London.

1 E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

20 E+W

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22 E+W

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24 E+W

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32 E+W

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37 E+W

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38 E+W

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39 E+W

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40 E+W

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41 E+W

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43F1 E+W+S

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44C1

Section 4(4) of the Public Health (Drainage of Trade Premises) Act 1937 (exemption of laundries from need for consent to discharges) shall cease to have effect.

45

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

49

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

50

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

51

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63

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

64C1

F1In section 2(2) of the Town Development Act 1952 (Exchequer contribution to councils of receiving districts), after paragraph (e), there shall be inserted the following paragraph:—

(ee)

payments under section 16 of the Water Act 1973 in respect of the provision of a public sewer needed for the purposes or in consequence of the development.

65

(1)

F1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

(2)

Section 8(4) of that Act (exercise of sewerage functions by participating authorities) shall cease to have effect.

66

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

67

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

68

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69

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70

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72

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

76

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

78

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

80

(1)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(2)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

(3)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

81

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

83

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

84

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

85

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

87C1

In section 58 of the M1Harbours Act 1964 (authorities not to be treated as harbour authorities), for the words from “a river board” to “Catchment Board” there shall be substituted the words “ a water authority, a river purification authority, a district board nor an improvement committee ”.

88

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

90

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

91

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

93C1

F1In section 98 of the M1Agriculture Act 1970 (duty of local authority in Scotland whose area adjoins England to consult English authorities about flood warning systems), for the words from “river” to “1963” there shall be substituted the words “ regoinal water authority established for that area under section 2 of the Water Act 1973 ; ”.

94 E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

95 E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

98 E+W

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1