Local Government (General) Regulation 2021

A council that considers the available stored water in a water supply system supplying its area, or the available capacity of supply from that system, to be insufficient to allow the unrestricted consumption of water for purposes other than domestic purposes may, by notice published in accordance with this section, restrict—

the purposes for which the water can be used, or

the times when the water can be used, or

the methods by which the water can be used, or

the quantities of the water that can be used.

The council may, by notice published in accordance with this section, place the same sort of restrictions as are referred to in subsection (1) on the use of water from such a water supply system for any purposes (including domestic purposes)—

if there is a drought, or

if the available stored water, or the available capacity of supply, is so limited as to make extraordinary measures necessary in the general interest of water consumers.

Restrictions under this section can be imposed in respect of all of the council area supplied by the water supply system, but can apply to a part of that area if and only if—

the shortage of water or shortage in capacity of supply is limited to that part, or

the council orders the supply to be restricted to different parts of the area in rotation.

Restrictions under this section can be imposed only by a notice of the council published on the website of the council.

All agreements made by the council relating to the supply of water are subject to this section.

This section does not authorise the council to make orders restricting persons’ rights under the Water Act 1912 or the Water Management Act 2000.