Water Resources Act 1963
1963 c.38
An Act to provide for the establishment of river authorities and a Water Resources Board, to confer on them, and on the Minister of Housing and Local Government, new functions in relation to water resources in England and Wales, and to provide for the transfer to river authorities of functions previously exercisable by river boards and other bodies; to make further provision for controlling the abstraction and impounding of water, for imposing charges in respect of licences to abstract or impound water, and for securing the protection and proper use of inland waters and water in underground strata; to enable corresponding provision to be made in relation to the Thames and Lee catchment areas and certain other areas in or adjacent to London; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.
For the extent of this Act see s. 137(2)(3)
Act extended by S.I. 1972/971, Sch. 1 Pt. A
The base date version of this Act is as revised to 1.12.1991 and takes into account the effects (if any) on it of consolidating legislation which came into force at that date.
Act modified by S.I. 1974/607, art. 13(1)(2)
Act modified by Channel Tunnel Act 1987 (c. 53, SIF 102), s. 6, Sch. 2 Pt. II para. 5(4) (with s. 45, Sch. 7 Pt. VI para. 2)
Act amended (E.W.) by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), ss. 128, 190, Sch. 13 para. 1(1), Sch. 26 para. 30(6) (with ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 57(6), 58) (which Sch. 26 para. 30 is repealed (1.12.1991) by Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60, SIF 130), ss. 3(1), 4(2), Sch. 3 Pt. I (with Sch. 2 paras. 10, 14(1), 15)
Act extended (with modifications) (E.W.) by Water Act 1989 (c.15, SIF 130), s. 190, Sch. 26 para. 30(8) (with ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 57(6), 58) (which Sch. 26 para. 30 is repealed (1.12.1991) by Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60, SIF 130), ss. 3(1), 4(2), Sch. 3 Pt. I (with Sch. 2 paras. 10, 14(1), 15)
Act applied (E.W.) by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), s. 190, Sch. 26 para. 31(2)(3)(4) (with ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 57(6), 58) (which Sch. 26 para. 31 is repealed (1.12.1991) by Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60, SIF 130), ss. 3(1), 4(2), Sch. 3 Pt. I (with Sch. 2 paras. 10, 14(1), 15)
Act saved (26.6.1991) by S.I. 1991/1619, art. 12
Part I Functions of Ministers in relation to Water Resources
1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1
2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2
Part II River Authorities and Water Resources Board
River authorities
3
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4
6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3
4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5
16
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6
2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7
17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8
18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9
19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10
20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11
21
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F12
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13
22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F14
33. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F15
36. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F16
56. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F17
Part V Charges For Licences To Abstract Or Impound Water
57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F18
60. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F19
61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F20
63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F21
Part VI Powers of River Authorities in Relation to Land and Works
65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F22
71
–
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F24
4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F25
6
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F23
Part VII Additional Functions of River Authorities
72. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F26
73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F27
74. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F28
75. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F29
76. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F30
77. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F31
78. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F32
79 Byelaws for protection of water resources.
F331
F332
For the purposes of the application of that section by virtue of the preceding subsection—
a
b
the reference in subsection (1) of that section to water which belongs to statutory water undertakers or which they are for the time being authorised to take shall be construed as a reference to any such water as is mentioned in section 68(1) of this Act; and
c
in subsection (5) the words “and subsection (2) of the next but one following section of this Act” shall be omitted.
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F36
F337
No byelaw made by virtue of section 18 of the M2Water Act 1945 as applied by subsection (1) of this section shall conflict or interfere with the operation of any byelaw made by a navigation authority, harbour authority or conservancy authority.
8
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F37
80. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F38
81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F39
Part VIII Financial Provisions
83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F40
88. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F41
89. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F42
91. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F43
92. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F44
93
–
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F45
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F46
4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F45
Part IX
94. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47
Part X Miscellaneous and Supplementary Provisions
101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48
105. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F49
106. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F50
107. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F51
109. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F52
110. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F53
111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54
114. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F55
119. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F56
120. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F57
121. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F58
122. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F59
123. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F60
124. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F61
126
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F62
F633
Without prejudice to the last preceding subsection, the provisions of this Act relating to the new functions of F64water authorities shall not apply to so much of any inland waters as—
a
is part of the River Tweed, or
b
is part of the River Esk or of the river Sark or of any tributary stream of the River Esk or River Sark at a point where either of the banks of either of those rivers or of any such tributary stream is in Scotland.
4
In this section “the River Tweed” means the “the river” as defined by the Tweed Fisheries Amendment Act 1859 and any byelaw amending that defination.
127. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F65
128
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F66
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F67
129. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F68
130. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F69
131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F70
133 Repeal, amendment and adaptation of local enactments.
C91
If it appears to the Minister that any local enactment passed or made before the second appointed day is inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act, or with anything done in the performance of any functions under this Act, or requires to be amended or adapted, having regard to any of the provisions of this Act or to anything done in the performance of any of those functions, he may by order repeal, amend or adapt that enactment to such extent, or in such manner, as he considers appropriate.
2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F71
3
Any order under this section may include such transitional, incidental, supplementary and consequential provisions as the Minister or Ministers may consider necessary or expedient.
4
The provisions of this section shall have effect without prejudice to the exercise of any other power to repeal, amend or adapt local enactments which is conferred by any other enactment, including any enactment contained in this Act.
134 Regulations and orders.
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F72
3
Any power conferred by this Act to make an order shall include power to vary or revoke the order by a subsequent order.
4
Any power to make orders under this Act shall be exercisable by statutory instrument:
. . . F73
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F74
6
Any statutory instrument containing—
a
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F75
c
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F72
d
an order under the last preceding section,
shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament:
. . . F76
135 Interpretation.
1
In this Act, except in so far as the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby assigned to them respectively, that is to say:—
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F77
“local enactment” means a local or private Act, a public general Act relating to London, an order or scheme made under an Act or confirmed by Parliament or brought into operation in accordance with special parliamentary procedure, or an enactment in a public general Act amending a local or private Act or any such order or scheme;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F77
“performance”, in relation to functions, includes the exercise of powers as well as the performance of duties, and “perform” shall be construed accordingly;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F77
“repeal”, in relation to a local enactment not contained in an Act, means revoke;
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F77
2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F78
4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F79
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F78
9
Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to an enactment shall be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended or extended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.
136 Amendments and repeals.
1
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F80
4
The repeal of the enactments specified in Part II of Schedule 14 to this Act—
a
shall not affect the operation of any statutory provision made or issued by virtue of any of those enactments before the end of the initial period, whether before or after the passing of this Act, and
b
shall not prevent the making or issuing of any such statutory provision in pursuance of an application made to a Minister before the end of that period, whether before or after the passing of this Act, or otherwise affect any proceedings in consequence of such an application.
5
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F80
137 Short title and extent.
1
This Act may be cited as the Water Resources Act 1963.
2
This Act, except—
b
any provision of this Act in so far as it affects the operation of the enactments mentioned in section 126 (1) of this Act in accordance with that subsection or in so far as it affects the operation of the M3Border Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) Act 1951,
shall not extend to Scotland.
3
This Act . . . F82 shall not extend to Northern Ireland.
SCHEDULES
F83F83SCHEDULES 1—6
Ss. 3(1)–(4)(6)(7), 4–15, 16(1), 18, 21(1)(2), 57–59, 61, 62, 80, 83–87, 89, 90, 92, 93(1)(2)(4), 94–104, 110, 119, 121, 124, 125, 127, 129, 136(1)–(3)(5)(6), Schs. 1–6, repealed by Water Act 1973 (c. 37), Sch. 9
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F83
SCHEDULE 7 . . . F84
Ss. 2, 17, 19, 22–32, 36–55, 60, 63, 64, 71(3), 78, 79(3)–(6), 81, 82, 88, 91, 105, 109, 114–118, 120, 123, 128(1)(2), 131, 132, 133(2), 134(1)(2), 134(6)(c), 135(2)(3), 135(5)–(8), Schs. 7, 10 repealed by Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60, SIF 130), s. 3, Sch. 3 Pt. I (with s. 2, Sch. 2 paras. 10, 14(1), 15)
SCHEDULES 8, 9 . . . F85
Ss. 1, 3(5), 16(2)(3), 20, 21(3)(4), 33–35, 56, 65–70, 71(1)(2)(4)(6), 77, 107, 108, 111–113, 126(1)(2), 128(3), 130, 134(5), 135(4), Schs. 8, 9 repealed by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), s. 190, Sch. 27 Pt. I (with ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 41(1), 57(6), 58)
SCHEDULE 10 . . . F86
Ss. 2, 17, 19, 22–32, 36–55, 60, 63, 64, 71(3), 78, 79(3)–(6), 81, 82, 88, 91, 105, 109, 114–118, 120, 123, 128(1)(2), 131, 132, 133(2), 134(1)(2), 134(6)(c), 135(2)(3), 135(5)–(8), Schs. 7, 10 repealed by Water Consolidation (Consequential Provisions) Act 1991 (c. 60, SIF 130), s. 3, Sch. 3 Pt. I (with s. 2, Sch. 2 paras. 10, 14(1), 15)
F87F87SCHEDULES 11—14
Schs. 11–14 repealed by Water Act 1973 (c. 37, SIF 130), s. 40(3), Sch. 9 and Sch. 13 para. 3 is also expressed to be repealed by Water Act 1989 (c. 15, SIF 130), s. 190, Sch. 27 Pt. I (with ss. 58(7), 101(1), 141(6), 160(1)(2)(4), 163, 189(4)–(10), 193(1), Sch. 26 paras. 3(1)(2), 17, 40(4), 41(1), 57(6), 58)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F87
Act wholly in force at Royal Assent.