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Water Act 1989 (Chapter 15).

Country/Territory: United Kingdom
Document type: Legislation
Date: 1989 (2017)
Source: FAO, FAOLEX
Long title: An Act to provide for the establishment and functions of a National Rivers Authority and of committees to advise that Autrhority; to provide for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities of water authorities to the National Rivers Authority and to companies nominated by the Secretary of State and for the dissolution of those authorities; to provide for the appointment and functions of Director General of Water Services and the customer service committees; to provide for the companies to be appointed to be water undertakers and sewerage undertakers and for the regulation of the appointed companies; to make provision with respect to, and the finances of, nominated companies, holding companies of nominated companies and statutory water companies; to amend the law relating to the supply of water and the law relating to provisions of sewers and the treatment and disposal of sewage; to amend the law with respect to pollution of water and the law with respect to its abstraction from inland waters and underground strata; to make new provisions in relation to flood defence and fisheries; to transfer functions with respect to navigation, conservancy and harbours to the National rivers Authority; and for connected purposes.

Subject: Fisheries, Land & soil, Water
Keyword: Inland fisheries Pollution control Soil pollution/quality Basic legislation Institution Non-governmental entity River basin institution Freshwater pollution Flood Navigation Water conservation zone Water supply Water quality standards Sewerage Freshwater resources management
Geographical area: Atlantic Ocean Islands, Europe, Europe and Central Asia, North Atlantic, North Sea, North-East Atlantic, Northern Europe

Abstract: The Water Act 1989 sanctioned a major shift in the policy of the government towards severing the public utility function from the comprehensive scope of water management authority of the Regional Water Authorities operating in England and Wales, and entrusting it with limited public companies. The regulatory functions hitherto vested in the said authorities, augmented by the addition of regulatory functions with respect to navigation, river conservancy and harbours are vested in a National Rivers Authority. As a result, the ten Regional Water Authorities which had come into being by virtue of the 1973 Water Act will be phased out. The new institutional set-up for the management of water resources in England and Wales is complemented by Regional Rivers Advisory Committees to be established by the National Rivers Authority in an advisory capacity to it. A separate committee for Wales is to be set up by the Secretary of State with respect to that particular region. (Part I, secs. 1 to 4). In addition, local flood defence committees are to carry out land drainage and flood defence functions under the supervision of the National Rivers Authority (sects. 136-137). Local and regional fisheries committees can be set up by the Authority, with advisory functions (sect. 141).
Full text: English
Website: www.legislation.gov.uk

References - Legislation

Amends

Water Act, 1973.

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1973 (2009)

Keyword: Inland fisheries, Basic legislation, River basin institution, Subsidy/incentive, Freshwater resources management, Freshwater pollution, Sewerage, Drainage/land reclamation, Recreational water use, Institution, Research, Pollution control

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Implemented by

Nitrate Sensitive Areas (Designation) Order, 1990.

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1990

Keyword: Soil pollution/quality, Fertilizers/nutrients, Farming, Agricultural development, Groundwater, Pollution control, Water conservation zone, Freshwater pollution

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Nitrate Sensitive Areas (Designation) (Amendment) Order 1990.

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1990

Keyword: Pollution control, Fertilizers/nutrients, Soil pollution/quality, Groundwater, Water conservation zone

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 1147 of 1989).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1989

Keyword: Potable water, Food quality control/food safety, Inspection, Water supply, Pollution control, Freshwater pollution

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Northumbrian Water and Essex and Suffolk Water (Amendment of Local Enactments, etc.) Order 2000 (S.I. No. 969 of 2000).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2000

Keyword: Water supply, Institution

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Yorkshire Water and York Waterworks (Amendment of Local Enactments Etc.) Order 2000 (S.I. No. 1031 of 2000).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2000

Keyword: Water supply, Institution

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Scotland Act 1998 (Border Rivers) Order 1999 (S.I. No. 1746 of 2000).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2000

Keyword: Inland fisheries, Institution, Inland waters, Transboundary effects

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Amended by

Water Act 2003 (Chapter 37).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2003 (2015)

Keyword: Basic legislation, Water supply, Freshwater resources management, Institution, Inland waters, Irrigation, Freshwater pollution, Flood, Water shortage/drought, Waterworks, Water abstraction, Authorization/permit, Access-to-information, Pollution control

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (Cap. 23).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2009

Keyword: Fishery management and conservation, Marine fisheries, Inland fisheries, Enforcement/compliance, Coastal zone management, Land-use planning, Basic legislation, Policy/planning, Maritime zone, Territorial sea, EEZ-Exclusive Economic Zone, Sovereignty, Marine area, Marine protected areas, Protected area

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 (S.S.I. No. 85 of 2009).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2009

Keyword: Aquaculture, Mariculture, Fish disease, Quarantine, Offences/penalties, Animal health, Fish products, Internal trade, Transport/storage

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 463 of 2009).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2009

Keyword: Aquaculture, Mariculture, Fish disease, Quarantine, Offences/penalties, Animal health, Fish products, Internal trade, Transport/storage

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003 (2003 Asp 15).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2003

Keyword: Inland fisheries, Fishing gear/fishing method, Seasons, International trade, Standards, Internal trade, Enforcement/compliance, Freshwater pollution, Waterworks, Fishing authorization, Fishery management and conservation, Authorization/permit, Inland waters, Sustainable development

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1991

Keyword: Marine fisheries, Inland fisheries, Migratory species, Enforcement/compliance, Offences/penalties, Land-use planning, Water supply, Waterworks, Drainage/land reclamation

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Chapter 43).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 1990 (2019)

Keyword: Framework law, Institution, Environmental planning, Education, Policy/planning, Soil pollution/quality, Waste management, Waste disposal

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Water Act 2014 (Chapter 21).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2014 (2018)

Keyword: Ecosystem preservation, Hazards, Coastal zone management, Framework law, Basic legislation, Freshwater resources management, Institution, Inland waters, Water supply, Sewerage, Authorization/permit, Water abstraction, Water quality standards, Water shortage/drought, Flood, Drainage/land reclamation, Freshwater pollution, Effluent waste water/discharge, Governance, Water rights, Waterworks, Monitoring, Enforcement/compliance, Offences/penalties, Pollution control

Source: FAO, FAOLEX

Water Act 2014 (Consequential Amendments etc.) Order 2017 (S.I. No. 506 of 2018).

Legislation | United Kingdom | 2017

Keyword: Water supply, Sewerage, Authorization/permit, Potable water, Sustainable use

Source: FAO, FAOLEX