What UK Water Resources Act 1991 - Abstraction Licensing, Section 85 Water Pollution Offences and Environment Agency Powers requires
The Water Resources Act 1991 (WRA 1991) is the principal statute governing water resources, water quality and flood defence in England and Wales. Part II requires an abstraction licence under section 24 for the abstraction of water from any source of supply where the quantity abstracted exceeds 20 cubic metres in 24 hours (raised from 5 m3 by Water Act 2003). Part III creates the section 85 offence of causing or knowingly permitting the entry of any poisonous, noxious or polluting matter or any solid waste matter into any controlled waters, an offence of strict liability triable either way with unlimited fine on indictment. The Environment Agency (England) and Natural Resources Wales (Wales) are the regulators, with powers under section 161 to serve anti-pollution works notices requiring polluters to remediate at their cost. Controlled waters are defined broadly under section 104 to include territorial waters, coastal waters, inland freshwaters and groundwaters. The Water Act 2003, Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and Environment Act 2021 introduced subsequent reforms including Catchment Abstraction Management Strategies (CAMS) and storm overflow reduction duties on water companies.
Pillar: Water & Environmental Resources · Authority: UK Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales (statutory regulators); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) policy lead · Version: 1.0.0 · Last updated:
Primary source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/57/contents
SHA-256 integrity: 373621968f07a585e1ca9f68313b72eb5fd84cc9d2da05a531d4100e4f2e06ec
Primary Citations — 7 traced to source
- Water Resources Act 1991 (c.57), as amended by Water Act 2003, Flood and Water Management Act 2010, Environment Act 2021 - s.24 abstraction licence, s.25 impoundment licence, s.85 water pollution offence, s.104 controlled waters definition, s.161A anti-pollution works notice
- Water Industry Act 1991 (c.56), as amended by Environment Act 2021 - s.18 enforcement orders by Ofwat, s.94 sewerage undertaker duties, s.141A storm overflow reduction duties inserted by Environment Act 2021 s.81
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