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Section 48: General effect of licence.

Water Resources Act 1991 · 1991 c. 57View on legislation.gov.uk

Part II: Water Resources Management — Chapter II: ABSTRACTION AND IMPOUNDING

For the purposes of this Chapter a person who is for the time being the holder of a licence under this Chapter to abstract water shall be taken to have a right to abstract water to the extent authorised by the licence and in accordance with the provisions contained in it.

In any action brought against a person in respect of the abstraction of water from a source of supply (other than an abstraction in respect of which a claim could be brought under section 48A below, in which case that section shall apply), it shall be a defence, subject to paragraph 2 of Schedule 7 to this Act, for him to prove—

that the water was abstracted in pursuance of a licence under this Chapter; and
that the provisions of the licence were complied with.

In any action brought against a person in respect of any obstruction or impeding of the flow of any inland waters at any point by means of impounding works, it shall be a defence for him to prove—

that the flow was so obstructed or impeded in pursuance of a licence under this Chapter;
that the obstructing or impeding was in the manner specified in that licence and to an extent not exceeding the extent so specified; and
that the other requirements of the licence (if any) were complied with.

Nothing in subsection (2) or (3) above shall exonerate a person from any action for negligence or breach of contract.

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.