This Order is the first commencement order made under the Water Act 2014 (c.21) (“the Act”).

Article 2 of the Order brings into force on 14th July 2014 section 40(1) of the Act which inserts a new section 86ZA into the Water Industry Act 1991 (c.56). This section enables the Secretary of State to make an order conferring power on the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water to charge fees in relation to regulatory activities undertaken by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and enables the Welsh Ministers to make an equivalent order relating to the Chief Inspector of Drinking Water for Wales. Article 2 also brings into force on the same date Schedule 9 to the Act which amends the Land Drainage Act 1991 (c.59) to remove certain restrictions on the way in which public notices relating to internal drainage boards in England are published.

Article 3 brings into force on 1st October 2014 section 59 of the Act which inserts new provisions about the main river maps for England and Wales into the Water Resources Act 1991 (c.57).

An impact assessment of the effect that the Act will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector has been produced, and copies are available from the website of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at www.gov.uk/defra or from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. No separate impact assessment has been produced for this instrument.