This Act sets out rules relative to water supply and other water-related services and to waste water discharge, provides for the protection and conservation of water resources and defines duties and powers of the Minister and national and local public bodies involved in water supply.
A water services authority, i.e. a local body as defined by this Act, may provide water services in the field of waste water collection and treatment and treated water supply or supervise the provision of water services by other persons. The Minister may make Regulations to require water services authorities to provide specified water services to specified classes of agglomerations, areas or consumers and may issue guidelines or codes of practice in relation to the performance of the functions of water services authorities or other persons under this Act. Each water services authority shall make a water services strategic plan with regard to the provision of water services in its functional area.
The Act further, among other things, establishes the National Rural Water Services Committee, grants power to the Minister to require the establishment of county rural water services committees, provides with respect to water services licences and the licensing of discharge to sewers, provides for sewage facilities for vessels and defines various offences including the offence of water pollution.