Water Act 1989

103 Waters to which Chapter I applies

(1) This Chapter applies to any waters (in this Chapter referred to as “controlled waters”) of any of the following classes—

(a) relevant territorial waters, that is to say, subject to subsection (5) below, the waters which extend seaward for three miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to England and Wales is measured;

(b) coastal waters, that is to say, any waters which are within the area which extends landward from those baselines as far as the limit of the highest tide or, in the case of the waters of any relevant river or watercourse, as far as the fresh-water limit of the river or watercourse, together with the waters of any enclosed dock which adjoins waters within that area;

(c) inland waters, that is to say, the waters of any relevant lake or pond or of so much of any relevant river or watercourse as is above the fresh-water limit;

(d) ground waters, that is to say, any waters contained in underground strata, or in—

(i) a well, borehole or similar work sunk into underground strata, including any adit or passage constructed in connection with the well, borehole or work for facilitating the collection of water in the well, borehole or work; or

(ii) any excavation into underground strata where the level of water in the excavation depends wholly or mainly on water entering it from the strata.

(2) The Secretary of State—

(a) shall deposit maps with the Authority showing what appear to him to be the fresh-water limits of every relevant river or watercourse; and

(b) may from time to time, if he considers it appropriate to do so by reason of any change of what appears to him to be the fresh-water limit of any river or watercourse, deposit a map showing a revised limit for that river or watercourse;

and in subsection (1) above “fresh-water limit”, in relation to any river or watercourse, means the place for the time being shown as the fresh-water limit of that river or watercourse in the latest map deposited for that river or watercourse under this subsection.

(3) It shall be the duty of the Authority to keep any maps deposited with it under subsection (2) above available, at all reasonable times, for inspection by the public free of charge.

(4) In this section—

• “miles” means international nautical miles of 1,852 metres;

• “lake or pond” includes a reservoir of any description;

• “relevant lake or pond” means (subject to subsection (5) below) any lake or pond which (whether it is natural or artificial or above or below ground) discharges into a relevant river or watercourse or into another lake or pond which is itself a relevant lake or pond;

• “relevant river or watercourse” means (subject to subsection (5) below) any river or watercourse (including an underground river or watercourse and an artificial river or watercourse) which is neither a public sewer nor a sewer or drain which drains into a public sewer.

(5) The Secretary of State may by order provide—

(a) that any area of the territorial sea adjacent to England and Wales is to be treated as if it were an area of relevant territorial waters for the purposes of this Chapter;

(b) that any lake or pond which does not discharge into a relevant river or watercourse or into a relevant lake or pond is to be treated for those purposes as a relevant lake or pond;

(c) that a lake or pond which does so discharge and is of a description specified in the order is to be treated for those purposes as if it were not a relevant lake or pond;

(d) that a watercourse of a description so specified is to be treated for those purposes as if it were not a relevant river or watercourse.

(6) The power of the Secretary of State to make an order under subsection (5) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament; and such an order may—

(a) contain such supplemental, consequential and transitional provision as the Secretary of State considers appropriate; and

(b) make different provision for different cases, including different provision in relation to different persons, circumstances or localities.