Explanatory note

Section 15 of the Water Act 1973 (as now set out in section 6 of the Water Act 1983) requires water authorities to endeavour to make arrangements with district councils, London borough councils and certain other authorities (“relevant authorities”) for the discharge by them in their areas of the statutory sewerage functions of the water authority, other than sewage disposal.

The Secretary of State may make regulations about such arrangements.

These regulations require such arrangements to include a variety of provisions. They must require the water authority, in formulating policies or proposals which significantly affect the role of the relevant authority, to consult that authority. They must also require the water authority to reimburse the relevant authority the reasonable costs of discharging sewerage functions under the arrangements; but a water authority are to be able to impose limits on the costs and expenses to be reimbursed. Arrangements are further to require relevant authorities to comply with any reasonable guidance or instructions and requests for information. They must also provide that the relevant authority may be required to consult the water authority about the capability in terms of skill, experience and resources of any person who it is proposed should design or carry out sewerage works of a capital nature; and the water authority are to be under no obligation to pay when they reasonably doubt the capability of the person proposed to do the job.