21 Power to carry out works.S
(1)For the purpose of providing the whole or part of their limits of supply or their area with a supply of water under this Act, a water authority or water development board may, subject to the provisions of this Act and without prejudice to any other powers they may have—
(a)construct, or alter or acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise, or renew or maintain waterworks;
(b)acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise any undertaking belonging to persons, not being a water authority or a water development board, who are supplying or are authorised to supply water in any part of their limits of supply or their area as the case may be;
(c)contract with any person for a supply by that person of water in bulk or otherwise;
(d)erect and maintain houses for the use of persons employed by them for the purposes of their undertaking; and
(e)acquire by purchase, lease or otherwise premises to be used for the purposes of the authority or board and maintain such premises.
(2)Where under this section a water authority or water development board propose to acquire the water undertaking of persons who are supplying or are authorised to supply water outside their limits of supply or their area as the case may be, they shall give notice in writing to every water authority and water development board whose limits of supply or area, as the case may by, lie wholly or partly within the area in which those persons are supplying or are authorised to supply water, and shall not proceed with their proposal unless the consent of each such authority or board has been obtained.
(3)The consent of an authority or board under subsection (2) shall not be unreasonably withheld, and any question whether or not a consent is unreasonably withheld shall be referred to and determined by the Secretary of State.