Water Act 1989

1 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, where—

(a) a trade effluent notice with respect to discharges of any trade effluent to which section 74 of this Act applies is served on a sewerage undertaker under the 1937 Act by the owner or occupier of any trade premises; or

(b) a sewerage undertaker and the owner or occupier of any trade premises are proposing to enter into any agreement under section 7 of that Act with respect to, or to any matter connected with, the reception or disposal of any such effluent,

it shall be the duty of the undertaker to refer to the Secretary of State the question whether the proposed operations should be prohibited and the question whether, if they are not prohibited, any requirements should be imposed as to the conditions on which they are carried out.

(2) Where a trade effluent notice is served on a sewerage undertaker, the reference required to be made by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(a) above shall be made before the end of the period of two months beginning with the day after service of the notice, but there shall be no obligation to make such a reference if, before the end of that period, there is a refusal by the sewerage undertaker to give any consent on the application contained in the notice.

(3) If, on an appeal under section 3 of the 1937 Act, it appears to the Director—

(a) that the case is one in which the sewerage undertaker in question is required to make a reference under sub-paragraph (1) above before giving a consent under that Act; and

(b) that the undertaker has not made such a reference, whether because the case falls within sub-paragraph (2) above or otherwise,

the Director shall not be entitled to determine the appeal, otherwise than by upholding a refusal, except where he has himself referred the questions mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) above to the Secretary of State and has been sent a copy of the notice of the Secretary of State’s determination on the reference.

(4) Every reference made under this paragraph shall be made in writing and shall be accompanied—

(a) in the case of a reference by virtue of paragraph (a) of sub-paragraph (1) above or sub-paragraph (3) above, by a copy of the trade effluent notice in respect of which the reference is made; and

(b) in the case of a reference by virtue of paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) above, by a copy of the proposed agreement;

and it shall be the duty of a sewerage undertaker where a reference has been made under this paragraph not to give any consent or enter into any agreement with respect to the proposed operations until the Secretary of State serves notice on the sewerage undertaker of his determination on the reference.

(5) It shall be the duty of a sewerage undertaker and of the Director, on making a reference under this paragraph, to serve a copy of the reference on the relevant person; and it shall also be the duty of the Director, on making such a reference, to serve a copy of the reference on the sewerage undertaker in question.

(6) Where a reference is made to the Secretary of State by virtue of sub-paragraph (1)(a) above, the initial period for the purposes of section 3 of the 1937 Act shall not begin to run in relation to the trade effluent notice in respect of which the reference is made until the beginning of the day after the Secretary of State serves notice on the sewerage undertaker in question of his determination on the reference.