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House of Lords		 Session 2002 - 03
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Water Bill [HL]

 

Water Bill [HL]

 
 

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs, will be published separately as HL Bill 36—EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

The Lord Whitty has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of

the Human Rights Act 1998:

In my view the provisions of the Water Bill [HL] are compatible with the

Convention rights.

 
HL Bill 8353/2
 
 
 

Water Bill [HL]

 

[AS AMENDED ON REPORT]

 
 

Contents

Part 1

Abstraction and impounding

Restrictions on abstraction and impounding

      1        Duty to conserve water resources

      2        Protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and

groundwater

      3        Licences to abstract water

      4        Restrictions on impounding

      5        Existing impounding works

      6        Existing impounding works: works notices

      7        Rights of navigation, harbour and conservancy authorities

      8        Rights to abstract small quantities

      9        Rights to abstract for drainage purposes, etc

      10        Amendments relating to section 9

      11        Power to provide for further exemptions

      12        Orders under section 33 of the WRA, etc

Applications for a licence

      13        Who may apply for a licence

      14        Abolition of combined licences

      15        Applications: types of abstraction licence

      16        Publication of application for licence

Consideration of licence applications

      17        General consideration of licence applications

      18        Protection from derogation

      19        Protected rights

      20        Register of certain protected rights

Form, contents and effect of licences

      21        Form, contents and effect of licences

      22        Limited extension of abstraction licence validity

 
HL Bill 8353/2
 
 

Water Bill [HL]

iv

 

Modification of licences

      23        Modification of impounding licences

      24        Proposals for modification at instance of Agency or Secretary of State

Transfer and apportionment of licences

      25        Transfer and apportionment of licences

Claims and compensation

      26        Claims arising out of water abstraction

      27        Compensation for modification of licence on direction of Secretary of State

      28        Recovery of compensation from new licence-holder

      29        Withdrawal of compensation for certain revocations and variations

Water resources management schemes

      30        Water resources management schemes: other abstractors

      31        Water resources management schemes: referral to Secretary of State

Enforcement

      32        Enforcement notices, and related procedures and offences

      33        Appeals against enforcement orders

Miscellaneous

      34        Bulk supplies

      35        Visiting forces

Part 2

New regulatory arrangements, etc

Establishment, etc of new bodies

      36        Water Services Regulation Authority

      37        Consumer Council for Water

      38        Transfer to Authority and Council of functions, property etc

      39        Conditions relating to costs of water regulation

      40        Forward work programmes and annual reports

Objectives of regulation of water industry

      41        Objectives and duties under WIA

      42        Guidance to Authority on social and environmental matters

      43        Standards of performance in relation to water supply

      44        Standards of performance in relation to sewerage services

Functions of the Council

      45        General functions of the Council

      46        Provision of information to the Council

      47        Provision of statistical information to consumers etc

 
 

Water Bill [HL]

v

 

      48        Consumer complaints

      49        Investigations by the Council

Enforcement of obligations

      50        Financial penalties

      51        Enforcement of certain provisions

Remuneration and standards of performance

      52        Links between directors’ pay and standards of performance

Miscellaneous

      53        Reasons for decisions

The Competition Commission

      54        Specialist members of the Competition Commission

      55        Determination references under section 12 of the WIA

      56        Conditions of appointments under the WIA

Licensing of water suppliers

      57        Licensing of other water suppliers

Part 3

Miscellaneous

The Drinking Water Inspectorate

      58        The Chief Inspector of Drinking Water and the Drinking Water Inspectorate

Water resale

      59        Charges for services provided with the help of an undertaker

Penalties

      60        Abstraction and impounding offences

      61        Supplying water unfit for human consumption

Water resources management plans

      62        Water resources management plans

Drought

      63        Drought plans

      64        Drought orders and drought permits: charges

      65        Procedure at local inquiries

 
 

Water Bill [HL]

vi

 

Land drainage and flood defence

      66        Revocation of local flood defence schemes

      67        Membership of regional flood defence committees in Wales

      68        Regional flood defence committees

      69        Grants for drainage works and flood warning systems

Information

      70        Information

Powers of entry

      71        Extension of Environment Agency’s powers of entry

Environment Agency’s general water resources duty

      72        Efficient use of water resources

Border rivers

      73        Border rivers

Reservoirs

      74        Environment Agency to be enforcement authority under the Reservoirs Act

1975

      75        Extension of enforcement authority’s reserve powers

      76        Service of documents

      77        Flood plans: large raised reservoirs

      78        National security

      79        Offences

      80        Crown application

Water conservation by undertakers

      81        Water conservation

Fire hydrants

      82        Fire hydrants

Coal mine water pollution

      83        Control of water from coal mines

Contaminated land

      84        Contaminated land: pollution of controlled waters

Discharge consents

      85        Transfer of discharge consents

 
 

Water Bill [HL]

vii

 

Trade effluent consents

      86        Trade effluent consents

      87        Trade effluent consents: conditions of consent

Water mains, etc

      88        Water main requisitions: financial conditions

      89        Water main requisitions: calculation of payments

      90        Self-lay and adoption of water mains and service pipes

Sewers and drains

      91        Requisition and adoption of sewers

      92        Provision of public sewers otherwise than by requisition

      93        Requisition of lateral drains

      94        Adoption of lateral drains

      95        Requisitioning and adoption of lateral drains: supplementary

      96        Communication with public sewers

Part 4

Supplementary

      97        Devolution: Wales

      98        Minor and consequential amendments and repeals

      99        Specific transitional and transitory provisions

      100        Powers to make further supplementary, consequential and transitional

provision, etc

      101        Regulations and orders

      102        Interpretation, commencement, short title, and extent

                  Schedule 1                    —                     The Water Services Regulation Authority

                  Schedule 2                    —                     The Consumer Council for Water

                  Schedule 3                    —                     Further provisions about transfers of functions, property etc

                  Schedule 4                    —                     Licensing of water suppliers

                  Schedule 5                    —                     Powers of entry under the Coal Industry Act 1994

                  Schedule 6                    —                     Compulsory purchase under the Coal Industry Act 1994

                  Schedule 7                    —                     Minor and consequential amendments

                  Part 1                    —                     Abstraction and impounding

                  Part 2                    —                     New regulatory arrangements, etc

                  Part 3                    —                     Miscellaneous

                  Schedule 8                    —                     Minor and consequential amendments: licensing of water

suppliers etc

                  Schedule 9                    —                     Repeals

                  Part 1                    —                     Abstraction and impounding

                  Part 2                    —                     New regulatory arrangements, etc

                  Part 3                    —                     Miscellaneous and supplementary

 
 

 
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Revised 26 June 2003