Water Act 2003

1 Licences to abstract water

(1) After section 24 of the Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57) (in this Act referred to as the “WRA”) there is inserted—

“24A Abstraction licences

(1) Each licence to abstract water shall be of one of the following three types—

(a) a licence to abstract water from one source of supply over a period of twenty-eight days or more for any purpose (a “full licence”);

(b) a licence to abstract water from one source of supply over a period of twenty-eight days or more for the purpose of—

(i) transferring water to another source of supply; or

(ii) transferring water to the same source of supply, but at another point, in the course of dewatering activities in connection with mining, quarrying, engineering, building or other operations (whether underground or on the surface),

in either case without intervening use (a “transfer licence”);

(c) a licence to abstract water from one source of supply over a period of less than twenty-eight days (a “temporary licence”).

(2) In this Act, a reference (however expressed) to a licence to abstract water is to be taken as a reference to all types of licence, unless it is clear that a different meaning is intended.”

(2) In section 72 of the WRA (interpretation of Chapter 2), in subsection (1), in the appropriate places there is inserted—

““full licence” has the meaning given in section 24A above;”,

““temporary licence” and “transfer licence” have the meanings given in section 24A above.”