For the purpose of assisting them in the performance of the duties laid on them by section 17(1) of the M1Rivers (Prevention of Pollution) (Scotland) Act 1951 (which relates among other things to the promotion of the cleanliness of rivers and the conservation of water resources) a river purification F2authority may make application to the Secretary of State for an order to control in respect of any stream or locality in their area the abstraction of water for the purpose of spray irrigation, and after consideration of the application the Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, and in accordance with the provisions of the Schedule to this Act, make a control order.

Where the Secretary of State in performance of the duty laid on him by section 1 of the Water (Scotland) Act F31980 or by section 1(1) of the said Act of 1951 (which provisions among other things lay a duty on the Secretary of State to promote the conservation of water and the cleanliness of rivers) is satisfied that in relation to any stream or locality the question of a control order should be considered, he may require the river purification F2authority concerned to make application under the foregoing subsection for such an order and the F2authority shall comply with any such requirement.

The provisions of the Schedule to this Act shall have effect with regard to applications for, and to the making, coming into operation, and the validity of, a control order.

In this Act—

• “spray irrigation” means the irrigation of land or plants (including seeds) by means of water or other liquid emerging (in whatever form) from apparatus designed or adapted to eject liquid into the air in the form of jets or spray;

• “control order” means an order made under this section;

• “control area” means all streams and localities to which a control order relates, but does not include any underground stream, or any body of water, whether underground or otherwise, which is not a stream.