{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-resources-act-1991/section-203",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-resources-act-1991/section-203.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1991/57",
  "legislation_title": "Water Resources Act 1991",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-resources-act-1991",
  "path": "section/203",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "203",
  "heading": "Exchange of information with respect to pollution incidents etc.",
  "text": "(1) It shall be the duty of the appropriate agency to provide a water undertaker with all such information to which this section applies as is in the possession of the appropriate agency and is reasonably requested by the undertaker for purposes connected with the carrying out of its functions.\n(1A) It shall be the duty of the appropriate agency to provide a water supply licensee with all such information to which this section applies as is in the possession of the appropriate agency and is reasonably requested by the licensee for purposes connected with the carrying on of activities under the licensee's licence.\n(2) It shall be the duty of every water undertaker to provide the appropriate agency with all such information to which this section applies as is in the possession of the undertaker and is reasonably requested by the appropriate agency for purposes connected with the carrying out of any of its functions.\n(2A) It shall be the duty of every water supply licensee to provide the appropriate agency with all such information to which this section applies as is in the possession of the licensee and is reasonably requested by the appropriate agency for purposes connected with the carrying out of any of its functions.\n(3) Information provided to a water undertaker, to a water supply licensee or to the appropriate agency under subsection (1), (1A), (2) or (2A) above shall be provided in such form and in such manner and at such times as the undertaker, the licensee or the appropriate agency, as the case may be, may reasonably require.\n(4) Information provided under subsection (1), (1A), (2) or (2A) above to a water undertaker , to a water supply licensee or to the appropriate agency shall be provided free of charge.\n(5) The duties of\n(a) a water undertaker under subsection (2) above; or\n(b) a water supply licensee under subsection (2A) above,\nshall be enforceable under section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991 by the Secretary of State.\n(6) This section applies to information—\n(a) about the quality of any controlled waters or of any other waters; or\n(b) about any incident in which any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or any ... waste matter has entered any controlled waters or other waters.\n(7) In this section “controlled waters” has the same meaning as in Part III of this Act.\n(8) Any reference in this section to a water supply licensee is a reference to a person holding a licence under Chapter 1A of Part 2 of the Water Industry Act 1991.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in ss. 199-203 substituted (1.4.2013) by The Natural Resources Body for Wales (Functions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/755), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 299 (with Sch. 7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 203(1A) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(a); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(1A) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(2)(a); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Word in s. 203(1A) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(2)(b); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(1A) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(2)(c); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 203(2A) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(b); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(2A) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(3)(a); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Word in s. 203(2A) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(3)(b); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 203(3) substituted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(c); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(3) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(4)(a); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Word in s. 203(3) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(4)(b); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(4) substituted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(d)(i); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(4) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(d)(ii); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(4) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(5); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(5) substituted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(e); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(5)(b) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(6); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Word in s. 203(6)(b) repealed (6.4.2008) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/3538), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. 21 para. 21(2), Sch. 23 (with reg. 72, Sch. 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "S. 203(8) inserted (1.12.2005) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), s. 105(3), Sch. 8 para. 53(2)(f); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 8)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(8) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(7)(a); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F20",
      "text": "Words in s. 203(8) substituted (1.4.2016) by Water Act 2014 (c. 21), s. 94(3), Sch. 7 para. 125(7)(b); S.I. 2016/465, art. 2(m), Sch. 1 para. 1(cc) (with Sch. 2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1991 c. 56."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 203 amended (27.8.1993) by 1993 c. 12, ss. 40, 51(2), Sch. 3 Pt. I para. 9 (with s. 46)."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 203 modified by S.I. 2010/675, Sch. 23 Pt. 8 para. 3 Table 9 (as substituted (1.10.2011) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2043), reg. 1(b), Sch. 1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 203 modified (1.1.2017) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1154), reg. 1(1), Sch. 23 Pt. 7 paras. 1(3), 2 (with regs. 1(3), 77-79, Sch. 4)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/57/section/203",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:36:46.190861+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}