Explanatory note

This Order is the third commencement order made under the Water Act 2014 (c.21) (“the 2014 Act”).

Article 2 brings into force on 6th April 2015 various provisions in Part 1 of the 2014 Act, which concern in particular the regulation of the water industry, including enabling the Secretary of State to make regulations to allow an undertaker whose area is wholly or mainly in England to apply to exit the non-household retail market for that area. The provisions in article 2(1) are brought into force by the Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers jointly, the provisions in article 2(2) are brought into force by the Secretary of State only and the provisions in article 2(3) are brought into force by the Welsh Ministers only.

Article 3 brings into force on 1st September 2015 provisions in Schedules 2 and 4 to the 2014 Act which insert new sections on codes into the Water Industry Act 1991 (c.56). These provisions are brought into force by the Secretary of State only.

Articles 4, 5 and 6 contain transitional provisions.

An impact assessment of the effect that the 2014 Act will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector has been produced, and copies are available from the website of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at www.gov.uk/defra or from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. No separate impact assessment has been produced for this instrument.