Water Resources Act 1991

Section 73.

SCHEDULE 8E+W PROCEEDINGS ON APPLICATIONS FOR DROUGHT ORDERS

1(1)The applicant for a drought order shall—E+W

(a)cause notice of the application to be served on the persons specified in the Table set out in sub-paragraph (2) below;

(b)cause a notice of the application to be published in one or more local newspapers circulating within the area affected by the order; and

(c)cause a notice of the application to be published in the London Gazette.

(2)The said Table is as follows—

Table

All orders(a) The [F1Agency] (where it is not the applicant).

[F2(aa)The NRBW (where it is not the applicant).]

(b) Every local authority (not being [F3an English county] council) and water undertaker (not being the applicant) whose area would be affected by the order.
Orders which suspend or modify any enactment or any order or scheme made or confirmed under any enactment.Such persons (if any) as are specified by name in the enactment, order or scheme as being persons for whose protection it was enacted or made.
Orders concerning the taking of water from a source or the discharge of water or effluent to a place.(a) Every local authority (not being [F3an English county] council) in whose area the source, or the place at which water or effluent is to be discharged, is situated.(b) Every drainage board for an internal district in which the source, or the place at which water or effluent is to be discharged, is situated.(c) Every navigation authority exercising functions over any watercourse affected by the order.(d) If the order concerns any [F4environmental permit] relating to the discharge of sewage effluent or trade effluent, the person to whom the [F4environmental permit] was given.
Orders which authorise the carrying out of any works.(a) Every local authority (not being [F3an English county] council) within whose area the works are situated.(b) If the order authorises the carrying out of works in, under or over a watercourse, every drainage board for an internal drainage district within which the works, or any part of the works, are situated.
Orders which authorise the occupation and use of land.Every owner, lessee and occupier of the land.
Orders which prohibit or limit the taking of water.Every named person to whom the prohibition or limitation applies.

(3)A notice for the purposes of this paragraph of an application for a drought order—

(a)shall state the general effect of the application;

(b)shall specify a place within the area affected by the order where a copy of any relevant map or plan may be inspected by any person free of charge at all reasonable times within a period of seven days from the date on which it is served or, as the case may be, published;

(c)shall state that objections to the application may be made to the Secretary of State within seven days from the date on which it is served or, as the case may be, published; and

(d)in the case of an application for an order authorising the occupation and use of land, shall specify the land to which the application relates.

(4)A notice sent in a letter in pursuance of section 220 of this Act to an address to which it may be sent in pursuance of that section shall not be treated as having been properly served for the purposes of this paragraph unless the sender takes such steps as are for the time being required to secure that the letter is transmitted in priority to letters of other descriptions.

Textual Amendments

F1Word in Sch. 8 para. 1(2) Table substituted (subject to the other provisions of the amending Act) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120, Sch. 22 para. 128 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

F3Words in Sch. 8 para. 1(2) Table substituted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 22(5), Sch. 11 Pt. I para. 3(7) (with ss. 54(4)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 3, Sch. 1

Objections to and making of ordersE+W

2(1)If any objection is duly made with respect to an application for a drought order and is not withdrawn, then, subject to the provisions of this paragraph, the Secretary of State shall, before making the order, either—E+W

(a)cause a local inquiry to be held; or

(b)afford an opportunity—

(i)to the objector; and

(ii)if the objector avails himself of the opportunity, to the applicant and to any other persons to whom it appears to the Secretary of State expedient to afford the opportunity,

of appearing before and being heard by a person appointed by the Secretary of State for the purpose.

(2)Subject to sub-paragraph (3) below, where, on an application for a drought order, it appears to the Secretary of State that a drought order is required to be made urgently if it is to enable the deficiency of supplies of water to be effectively met, he may direct that the requirements of sub-paragraph (1) above shall be dispensed with in relation to the application.

(3)Nothing in sub-paragraph (2) above shall authorise the Secretary of State to fail to consider any objection to a proposed drought order which has been duly made and not withdrawn.

(4)Notwithstanding anything in sub-paragraph (1) above, the Secretary of State may—

(a)require any person who has made an objection to a proposed drought order to state in writing the grounds of his objection; and

(b)disregard the objection for the purposes of this paragraph if the Secretary of State is satisfied—

(i)that the objection relates exclusively to matters which can be dealt with on a reference under Schedule 9 to this Act or by any person by whom compensation is to be assessed; or

(ii)in a case where the order is one confined to the extension of a period specified in a previous order, that the objection is one that has in substance been made with respect to the application for that previous order.

(5)Subject to the requirements of this paragraph, the Secretary of State, upon being satisfied that the proper notices have been published and served, may, if he thinks fit, make the order in respect of which the application is made with or without modifications.

(6)The Secretary of State may hold a local inquiry on any application for a drought order notwithstanding that he is not required to do so by this paragraph.

[F5(7)For the purposes of subsection (2) of section 53 of the 1995 Act (which applies subsections (2) to (5) of section 250 of the Local Government Act 1972 to inquiries in connection with functions of or in relation to the Agency [F6or in connection with relevant environmental functions of or in relation to the NRBW]) [F7as modified by subsection (4) of that section], a local inquiry held under this paragraph with respect to an application by a water undertaker for a drought order, if it would not otherwise fall within paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection, is to be treated as one which falls within paragraph (b).]

Textual Amendments

F5Sch. 8 para. 2(7) added (1.4.2004) by Water Act 2003 (c. 37), ss. 65, 105(3); S.I. 2004/641, art. 3(p) (with Sch. 3 para. 7)

Notice after making of orderE+W

3E+WAfter a drought order has been made, the person on whose application it was made shall cause to be published (in the manner in which notice of the application was required under paragraph 1 above to be published) a notice—

(a)stating that the order has been made; and

(b)naming a place where a copy of it may be inspected.