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Water Act 2003 in Northern Ireland

2003 c. 37 · Enacted 20 November 2003 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 10 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 9 January 2022.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 83(2)(f)words insertedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 2 para. 342
s. 52(3)(a)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 133(2)(a)
s. 58(2)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 134(2)(a)
s. 58(2)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 134(2)(b)
s. 58(6)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 134(3)(a)
s. 40repealedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 132
s. 52(3)(b)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 133(2)(b)
s. 52(3)(c)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 133(2)(c)
s. 52(9)insertedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 133(3)
s. 58(6)words substitutedWater Act 2014 Sch. 7 para. 134(3)(b)

An Act to amend the Water Resources Act 1991 and the Water Industry Act 1991; to make provision with respect to compensation under section 61 of the Water Resources Act 1991; to provide for the establishment and functions of the Water Services Regulation Authority and the Consumer Council for Water, and for the abolition of the office of Director General of Water Services; to make provision in connection with land drainage and flood defence; to amend the Reservoirs Act 1975; to make provision about contaminated land so far as it relates to the pollution of controlled waters; to confer on the Coal Authority functions in relation to the discharge of water from coal mines; to extend the functions of the Environment Agency in relation to the Rivers Esk, Sark and Tweed and their tributaries so far as they are in England; to repeal section 1 of the Metropolis Water Act 1852; and for connected purposes.

[20th November 2003]

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. Restrictions on abstraction and impounding
  2. 11Who may apply for a licence
  3. 12Abolition of combined licences
  4. 13Applications: types of abstraction licence
  5. 14Publication of application for licence
  6. 15General consideration of licence applications
  7. 16Protection from derogation
  8. 17Protected rights
  9. 18Register of certain protected rights
  10. 19Form, contents and effect of licences
  11. 20Limited extension of abstraction licence validity
  12. Modification of licences
  13. 21Modification of licences
  14. 22Proposals for modification at instance of Agency or Secretary of State
  15. 23Transfer and apportionment of licences
  16. 24Claims arising out of water abstraction
  17. 25Compensation for modification of licence on direction of Secretary of State
  18. 26Recovery of compensation from new licence-holder
  19. 28Water resources management schemes: other abstractors
  20. 29Water resources management schemes: referral to Secretary of State
  21. 30Enforcement notices, and related procedures and offences
  22. 31Bulk supplies
  23. 32Visiting forces
  24. Part 2: New regulatory arrangements, etc
  25. Establishment, etc of new bodies
  26. 36Transfer to Authority and Council of functions, property etc
  27. 40Guidance to Authority on social and environmental matters
  28. 41Standards of performance in relation to water supply
  29. 42Standards of performance in relation to sewerage services
  30. 43General functions of the Council
  31. 44Provision of information to the Council
  32. 45Provision of statistical information to consumers etc
  33. 46Consumer complaints
  34. 47Investigations by the Council
  35. 48Financial penalties
  36. 49Enforcement of certain provisions
  37. 50Links between directors' pay and standards of performance
  38. 51Reasons for decisions
  39. 53Specialist members of the Competition Commission
  40. 56Licensing of other water suppliers
  41. Water fluoridation
  42. 59Charges for services provided with the help of an undertaker
  43. 62Water resources management plans
  44. 63Drought plans
  45. 64Drought orders and drought permits: charges
  46. 65Procedure at local inquiries
  47. Land drainage and flood defence
  48. 66Revocation of local flood defence schemes
  49. 68Regional flood defence committees
  50. 70Information
  51. 71Extension of Environment Agency’s powers of entry
  52. 72Efficient use of water resources
  53. Border rivers
  54. 73Border rivers
  55. Reservoirs
  56. 74Environment Agency to be enforcement authority under the Reservoirs Act 1975
  57. 76Service of documents
  58. 81Duty to encourage water conservation
  59. 82Water conservation: requirements on relevant undertakers
  60. 83Water conservation by public authorities
  61. 84Fire hydrants
  62. Coal mine water pollution
  63. 85Control of water from coal mines
  64. 86Contaminated land: pollution of controlled waters
  65. 87Transfer of discharge consents
  66. 88Trade effluent consents Not yet in force
  67. 89Trade effluent consents: conditions of consent Not yet in force
  68. 90Water main requisitions: financial conditions
  69. 91Water main requisitions: calculation of payments
  70. 92Self-lay and adoption of water mains and service pipes
  71. 93Requisition and adoption of sewers
  72. 94Provision of public sewers otherwise than by requisition
  73. 95Requisition of lateral drains
  74. 96Adoption of lateral drains
  75. 97Requisitioning and adoption of lateral drains: supplementary
  76. 98Schemes for the adoption of sewers, lateral drains and sewage disposal works
  77. 99Communication with public sewers
  78. 104Regulations and orders
  79. Paragraph Not yet in force
  80. Paragraph Not yet in force
  81. Schedule 3: Further provisions about transfers of functions, property etc
  82. Preliminary
  83. 1Paragraph 1
  84. Contents of transfer schemes
  85. 2Paragraph 2
  86. 3Paragraph 3
  87. 4Paragraph 4
  88. Modification of transfer scheme after appointed day
  89. 5Paragraph 5
  90. Effect of transfers
  91. 6Paragraph 6
  92. 7Paragraph 7
  93. 8Paragraph 8
  94. Continuity of employment, etc of transferred employees
  95. 9Paragraph 9
  96. 1Paragraph 1
  97. 2Paragraph 2
  98. 3Paragraph 3
  99. 4Paragraph 4
  100. Paragraph
  101. Paragraph
  102. Part 1: Abstraction and impounding
  103. Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57)
  104. 1Paragraph 1
  105. 2Paragraph 2
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. 4Paragraph 4
  108. 5Paragraph 5
  109. 6Paragraph 6
  110. 7Paragraph 7
  111. 8Paragraph 8
  112. 9Paragraph 9
  113. 10Paragraph 10
  114. 11Paragraph 11
  115. 12Paragraph 12
  116. 13Paragraph 13
  117. 14Paragraph 14
  118. Environment Act 1995 (c. 25)
  119. 15Paragraph 15
  120. Part 2: New regulatory arrangements, etc
  121. Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51)
  122. 16Paragraph 16
  123. Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (c. 67)
  124. 17Paragraph 17
  125. Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13)
  126. 18Paragraph 18
  127. Superannuation Act 1972 (c. 11)
  128. 19Paragraph 19
  129. House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)
  130. 20Paragraph 20
  131. Northern Ireland Assembly Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 25)
  132. 21Paragraph 21
  133. Race Relations Act 1976 (c. 74)
  134. Telecommunications Act 1984 (c. 12)
  135. 23Paragraph 23
  136. Airports Act 1986 (c. 31)
  137. 24Paragraph 24
  138. Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 (c. 46)
  139. 25Paragraph 25
  140. Water Act 1989 (c. 15)
  141. 26Paragraph 26
  142. Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56)
  143. 27Paragraph 27
  144. Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57)
  145. 28Paragraph 28
  146. Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60)
  147. 29Paragraph 29
  148. Competition and Service (Utilities) Act 1992 (c. 43)
  149. 30Paragraph 30
  150. Coal Industry Act 1994 (c. 21)
  151. 31Paragraph 31
  152. Competition Act 1998 (c. 41)
  153. 32Paragraph 32
  154. Postal Services Act 2000 (c. 26)
  155. Utilities Act 2000 (c. 27)
  156. 34Paragraph 34
  157. Transport Act 2000 (c. 38)
  158. 35Paragraph 35
  159. Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40)
  160. 36Paragraph 36
  161. Part 3: Miscellaneous
  162. Metropolis Water Act 1852 (c. 84)
  163. 37Paragraph 37
  164. Reservoirs Act 1975 (c. 23)
  165. 38Paragraph 38
  166. Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56)
  167. 39Paragraph 39
  168. Land Drainage Act 1991 (c. 59)
  169. 40Paragraph 40
  170. Health Authorities Act 1995 (c. 17)
  171. 41Paragraph 41
  172. Environment Act 1995 (c. 25)
  173. 42Paragraph 42
  174. Water Act 1989 (c. 15)
  175. 1Paragraph 1
  176. Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56)
  177. 2Paragraph 2
  178. 3Paragraph 3
  179. 4Paragraph 4
  180. 5Paragraph 5
  181. 6Paragraph 6
  182. 7Paragraph 7
  183. 8Paragraph 8
  184. 9Paragraph 9
  185. 10Paragraph 10
  186. 11Paragraph 11
  187. 12Paragraph 12
  188. 13Paragraph 13
  189. 14Paragraph 14
  190. 15Paragraph 15
  191. 16Paragraph 16
  192. 17Paragraph 17
  193. 18Paragraph 18
  194. 19Paragraph 19
  195. 20Paragraph 20
  196. 21Paragraph 21
  197. 22Paragraph 22
  198. 23Paragraph 23
  199. 24Paragraph 24
  200. 25Paragraph 25
  201. 26Paragraph 26
  202. 27Paragraph 27
  203. 28Paragraph 28
  204. 29Paragraph 29
  205. 30Paragraph 30
  206. 31Paragraph 31
  207. 32Paragraph 32
  208. 33Paragraph 33
  209. 34Paragraph 34
  210. 35Paragraph 35
  211. 36Paragraph 36
  212. 37Paragraph 37
  213. 38Paragraph 38
  214. 39Paragraph 39
  215. 40Paragraph 40
  216. 41Paragraph 41
  217. 42Paragraph 42
  218. 43Paragraph 43
  219. 44Paragraph 44
  220. 45Paragraph 45
  221. 46Paragraph 46
  222. 47Paragraph 47
  223. 48Paragraph 48
  224. 49Paragraph 49
  225. 50Paragraph 50
  226. 51Paragraph 51
  227. 52Paragraph 52
  228. Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57)
  229. 53Paragraph 53
  230. Competition Act 1998 (c. 41)
  231. 54Paragraph 54
  232. Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40)
  233. 55Paragraph 55
  234. 3Miscellaneous and supplementary