Water Industry

The Water Industry Act 1991 (c. 56) is an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament consolidating previous enactments relating to the water supply and the provision of wastewater services in that country. It further implemented recommendations of the Law Commission. South West Water Services Limited is a water supply and sewerage utility company serving part of south west England. It was originally formed by the Water Act 1973 as one of ten regional water authorities formed by a merger of various statutory and local authority water undertakings. South West Water was privatised in 1989, and is part of the Pennon Group.

In 1988, South West Water was responsible for the operation of the Lowermoor Water Treatment Works in Cornwall, from which contamination was accidentally released into the public water supply, in an incident known as the Camelford water pollution incident, which was investigated by the Lowermoor Incident Group. Southern Water is the utility responsible for wastewater collection and treatment in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent, and for water supply and distribution in the approximately half of this area. Some areas within the Southern Water region are supplied by a number of smaller water supply companies.

The Water Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reorganised the water industry in England and Wales. It was removed from local authority control, and ten larger water authorities were set up, under state control. Each authority consisted of members appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment, and by the various local authorities in its area. Each authority's area was based on river catchments. The water authorities took over the powers and assets of the smaller River Authorities which had responsibility for control of water pollution, and the water supply utilities operated by local authorities and water boards.

The Act also established a National Water Council. this body consisted of a chairman nominated by the minister, the chairmen of each regional authority and not more than ten additional members nominated by the government. The Council's duties included implementing national water policy, assisting the ten regional authorities in matters of joint concern, and setting and enforcing national regulations and byelaws on water quality and conservation.