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Water Industry Act 1991
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Changes to legislation:
Water Industry Act 1991, Section 37 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 February 2025. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 37:
- Pt. 3 Ch. 2B inserted by 2014 c. 21 s. 12
- s. 17A(c) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2(c)
- s. 17A(d) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2)(c)
- s. 17A(2)(ba) and word inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2)(b)
- s. 17AA(1)(ba)(bb) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 5(2)
- s. 17BA(5A) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 7(3)
- s. 17HA(9)(b)(ia) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 16(2)
- s. 23(2AA) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 35(4)
- s. 23(8)(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 35(10)
- s. 39E-39H inserted by 2021 c. 30 s. 78(7)
- s. 87(7C)-(7F) inserted by 2012 c. 7 s. 35(6)
- s. 95ZA(6) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 39(4)
- s. 96ZA(2)-(5) substituted for s. 96ZA(2) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 40
- s. 106B(3A) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 94
- s. 117G(2)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(2)
- s. 117G(4)-(4D) substituted for s. 117(4) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(3)
- s. 117G(6)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(4)
- s. 117K(2)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(2)
- s. 117K(5)(5A) substituted for s. 117(5) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(3)
- s. 117L(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 43(3)
- s. 117N(4)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(2)
- s. 117N(8)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(3)
- s. 117N(11)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(4)
- s. 117O(4)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 46(2)
- s. 117O(8)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 46(3)
- s. 117S(7)-(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 49
- s. 119(2)(ab) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(1)(a)
- s. 119(3) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(1)(b)
- s. 121(1)(ba) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(2)(a)
- s. 141DC inserted by 2021 c. 30 s. 83
- s. 177K(7)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(4)
- s. 207D and cross-heading inserted by 2014 c. 21 s. 39
- s. 207D(5) word repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 52(a)
- s. 207D(5) words inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 52(b)
- s. 213(1ZA) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 119(3)
- s. 213(1ZA) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 53
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- Pt. 3 Ch. 2B inserted by 2014 c. 21 s. 12
- s. 17A(c) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2(c)
- s. 17A(d) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2)(c)
- s. 17A(2)(ba) and word inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 4(2)(b)
- s. 17AA(1)(ba)(bb) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 5(2)
- s. 17BA(5A) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 7(3)
- s. 17HA(9)(b)(ia) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 16(2)
- s. 23(2AA) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 35(4)
- s. 23(8)(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 35(10)
- s. 39E-39H inserted by 2021 c. 30 s. 78(7)
- s. 87(7C)-(7F) inserted by 2012 c. 7 s. 35(6)
- s. 95ZA(6) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 39(4)
- s. 96ZA(2)-(5) substituted for s. 96ZA(2) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 40
- s. 106B(3A) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 94
- s. 117G(2)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(2)
- s. 117G(4)-(4D) substituted for s. 117(4) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(3)
- s. 117G(6)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 41(4)
- s. 117K(2)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(2)
- s. 117K(5)(5A) substituted for s. 117(5) by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(3)
- s. 117L(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 43(3)
- s. 117N(4)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(2)
- s. 117N(8)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(3)
- s. 117N(11)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 45(4)
- s. 117O(4)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 46(2)
- s. 117O(8)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 46(3)
- s. 117S(7)-(9) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 49
- s. 119(2)(ab) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(1)(a)
- s. 119(3) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(1)(b)
- s. 121(1)(ba) inserted by 2003 c. 37 s. 89(2)(a)
- s. 141DC inserted by 2021 c. 30 s. 83
- s. 177K(7)(aa) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 42(4)
- s. 207D and cross-heading inserted by 2014 c. 21 s. 39
- s. 207D(5) word repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 52(a)
- s. 207D(5) words inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 52(b)
- s. 213(1ZA) inserted by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 7 para. 119(3)
- s. 213(1ZA) repealed by 2014 c. 21 Sch. 5 para. 53
37 General duty to maintain water supply system etc.E+W
(1)It shall be the duty of every water undertaker to develop and maintain an efficient and economical system of water supply within its area and to ensure that all such arrangements have been made—
(a)for providing supplies of water to premises in that area and for making such supplies available to persons who demand them; and
(b)for maintaining, improving and extending the water undertaker’s water mains and other pipes,
as are necessary for securing that the undertaker is and continues to be able to meet its obligations under this Part.
(2)The duty of a water undertaker under this section shall be enforceable under section 18 above—
(a)by the Secretary of State; or
(b)with the consent of or in accordance with a general authorisation given by the Secretary of State, by [F1the Authority].
(3)The obligations imposed on a water undertaker by the following Chapters of this Part, and the remedies available in respect of contraventions of those obligations, shall be in addition to any duty imposed or remedy available by virtue of any provision of this section or section 38 below and shall not be in any way qualified by any such provision.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Act substituted (1.4.2006) by virtue of Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 36(2), 105(3); S.I. 2005/2714, art. 4(c)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 37 saved (01.12.1991) by Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57, SIF 130), ss. 19(2), 225(2).
C2S. 37 applied (with modifications) (28.6.2013) by The Water Industry (Specified Infrastructure Projects) (English Undertakers) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1582), reg. 1(1)(b), Sch. 1 para. 10(1) (with reg. 1(1)(c))
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