7(1)The council water charge shall be payable in respect of any dwelling which is not an exempt dwelling and in respect of which the qualifying conditions are met.
(2)For the purposes of this Schedule—
“dwelling” has the meaning assigned to it by section 72(2) of this Act;
“chargeable dwelling” means any dwelling in respect of which council water charge is payable; and
“exempt dwelling” means any dwelling of a class prescribed by an order made by the Secretary of State.
(3)For the purposes of sub-paragraph (2) above, a class of dwelling may be prescribed by reference to—
(a)the physical characteristics of dwellings;
(b)the fact that dwellings are unoccupied or are occupied for prescribed purposes or are occupied or owned by persons of prescribed descriptions; or
(c)such other factors as the Secretary of State thinks fit.
8The qualifying conditions for the purposes of paragraph 7 above are—
(a)that a water authority provide a supply of water to that dwelling;
(b)that the water is not supplied wholly by meter; and
(c)that the supply is not one which the water authority—
(i)were, immediately before 16th May 1949; and
(ii)continue to be,
under an obligation to provide free of charge.