The Water Act 2014 (Commencement No. 6, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2016

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order is the sixth commencement order made under the Water Act 2014 (c.21) (“the 2014 Act”) in relation to England and Wales. This Order is made by the Secretary of State only.

Article 2 brings into force on 1st April 2016 various provisions of the 2014 Act amending the Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56) (“the 1991 Act”). The commenced amendments relate to the new licensing regime for water supply to non-household customers. A provision is also brought into force which allows the Secretary of State to make regulations for appeals to the Competition and Markets Authority against a decision of the Water Services Regulation Authority (“Ofwat”) to revise or not revise a designated code.

Article 3 brings into force on 1st September 2016 provisions of the 2014 Act which amend the 1991 Act to require Ofwat to publish rules about charges for agreements for a supply of water between an undertaker and a licensee under section 66D of the 1991 Act and for the use of an undertaker’s sewerage system by a licensee under section 117E of the 1991 Act.

Schedule 1 provides for certain further amendments listed in Schedule 7 to the 2014 Act to be brought into force on 1st April 2016.

Schedule 2 contains transitional provisions, savings and revocations. The existing water supply licensing regime will continue in effect under the 1991 Act alongside the new retail water supply licensing regime until 3rd April 2017.

An impact assessment of the effect that the 2014 Act will have on the costs of business, the voluntary sector and the public sector is available from the Water Services Team, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR or at www.gov.uk/defra . No separate impact assessment has been produced for this instrument.