COMPETITION AND THE PROTECTION OF CUSTOMERS IN THE WATER AND SEWERAGE INDUSTRIES — A CITIZENS' CHARTER?
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb024751 |
| Pages | 56-62 |
| Published date | 01 January 1992 |
| Date | 01 January 1992 |
| Author | ALLAN MERRY |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance |
COMPETITION AND THE PROTECTION OF CUSTOMERS IN
THE WATER AND SEWERAGE INDUSTRIES - A CITIZENS'
CHARTER?
Received (in revised form): 27th August, 1992.
ALLAN MERRY
ALLAN MERRY
THE AUTHOR WORKED IN ENGLISH LOCAL
GOVERNMENT FROM 1966 UNTIL EARLY 1990.
DURING THAT TIME. HE WAS INVOLVED WITH
ALL THE PRINCIPAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT
FUNCTIONS AND HAD EXPERIENCE OF A WIDE
RANGE OF INTER-DISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES.
HE REPRESENTED HIS EMPLOYERS IN
TRIBUNALS AND INQUIRIES AND WAS
REQUIRED TO DEAL WITH ALL LEVELS OF
MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING SENIOR MEMBERS.
HE MOVED TO THE OFFICE OF WATER
SERVICES AS LEGAL ADVISER IN MARCH 1990.
A NATIVE OF SOUTH-EAST LANCASHIRE. HE
HAS LIVED FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS IN
NOTTINGHAM AND IS MARRIED WITH TWO
GROWN-UP DAUGHTERS.
ABSTRACT
The
paper outlines
the main
statutory
pro-
visions which apply to the water and
sewerage industry
and, in
so
doing,
it
con-
siders
the
regulatory
duties and
powers
of
the
Director General
of
Water
Services.
In
particular,
reference
is made to redress for
customers,
resolution
of
disputes,
cross-sub-
sidisation and
transfer
pricing,
and the
promotion of
competition
within the in-
dustry.
INTRODUCTION
On 6th July, 1989, the Water Act
received Royal Assent. It provided
for the transfer into private owner-
ship of the ten regional water
authorities (RWAs), which had been
in operation since 1st April, 1974.
Their regulatory functions (pollution
control and licensing of water
abstraction) were to be transferred
to the National Rivers Authority
(NRA).
The successor companies (Ap-
pointees) were to be charged, as stat-
utory undertakers, with the provi-
sion of water supplies and sewerage
and sewage treatment services. They
depend heavily upon costly infra-
structure (principally reservoirs,
pipes of all sizes and works for the
treatment of both clean and dirty
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