The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2018

Application and introduction of substances and productsE+W

31.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a water undertaker or supplementary licensee must not apply any substance or product to, or introduce any substance or product into, water which is to be supplied for regulation 4(1) purposes unless one of the requirements of paragraph (4) is satisfied.

(2) A substance or product which, at the time of its application or introduction—

F1(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(b)conforms to an appropriate British Standard or some other appropriate standard F2... which provides an equivalent level of protection and performance,

may be applied or introduced, notwithstanding that none of the requirements of paragraph (4) are satisfied.

(3) Paragraph (2) applies only if such an application or introduction complies with—

(a)such conditions of use restricting the dosing concentration as are for the time being in force in relation to such substances and products pursuant to a determination of the Welsh Ministers by an instrument in writing;

F3(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(4) The requirements of this paragraph are—

(a)that the Welsh Ministers have for the time being approved the application or introduction of that substance or product and it is applied or introduced in accordance with any conditions attaching to that approval;

(b)that the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that the substance or product either alone or in combination with any other substance or product in the water is unlikely to affect adversely the quality of the water supplied; and

(c)that the substance or product is to be applied or introduced solely for the purposes of testing or research, and the water undertaker or supplementary licensee has given to the Welsh Ministers not less than 3 months' notice in writing of its intention so to apply or introduce the substance or product.

(5) An application for such an approval as is mentioned in paragraph (4)(a) may be made by any person.

(6) If the Welsh Ministers decide to issue an approval under paragraph (4)(a), they may include in the approval such conditions as it considers appropriate and, subject to paragraph (10), may at any time revoke or vary any approval it has previously given.

(7) Where substances or products are applied or introduced in any case in which the requirement mentioned in paragraph (4)(c) is satisfied, their application or introduction will be discontinued within 12 months of the date on which they were first applied or introduced or, if the Welsh Ministers by notice given in writing to the water undertaker or supplementary licensee so directs, within such other period (whether longer or shorter) as may be specified in the notice.

(8) The Welsh Ministers may, by notice given in writing to any water undertaker or supplementary licensee, prohibit the water undertaker or supplementary licensee from applying to, or introducing into, water intended to be supplied for regulation 4(1) purposes any substance or product which the water undertaker or supplementary licensee would otherwise be authorised to apply or introduce by virtue of—

(a)paragraphs (1) and (4)(b) or (c); or

(b)paragraph (2).

(9) A prohibition under paragraph (8) may be without limitation as to time or for such period as is specified in the notice.

(10) Subject to paragraph (11) the Welsh Ministers may—

(a)revoke by an instrument in writing any approval given by it under paragraph (4)(a);

(b)modify any such approval by an instrument in writing by including conditions or varying existing conditions;

(c)give any such notice as is mentioned in paragraph (8);

(11) Unless the Welsh Ministers are satisfied that it is necessary to do so in the interests of public health without notice, the Welsh Ministers must not do any of those things without giving all such persons as are, in the opinion of the Welsh Ministers, likely to be affected by the revocation or modification of the approval or by the giving of the notice at least 6 months' notice in writing of its intention.

(12) Notwithstanding paragraph (11), the Welsh Ministers must give immediate notice to all persons likely to be affected by the revocation or variation of an instrument mentioned in paragraph (10)(a) or (b).

(13) At least once in each year, the Welsh Ministers must issue a list of all the substances and products, with particulars of the action taken, in relation to which—

(a)an approval under paragraph (4)(a) has been granted or refused;

(b)such an approval has been revoked or modified; and

(c)a notice has been given under paragraph (8).

(14) The Welsh Ministers may—

(a)by notice served on the person who makes an application for approval under paragraph (4)(a), require the person to pay the Welsh Ministers a charge which reflects the administrative expenses incurred or likely to be incurred by the Welsh Ministers in connection with the application; and

(b)in determining the amount of any such charge, adopt such methods and principles for its calculation as appear to the Welsh Ministers to be appropriate.

F4(15) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .