This act lists most of the powers and duties associated with supplying drinking water in Scotland.
- Water authorities (now Scottish Water) must supply wholesome water for domestic purposes. It is a criminal offence to supply water unfit for human consumption.
- Scottish Ministers must take enforcement action against a water authority that fails to supply wholesome water unless the failure is trivial or the water authority is attempting to remedy the matter.
- Local authorities must take appropriate steps to keep themselves informed about the wholesomeness of public and private water supplies in their area and notify the water authority if not satisfied.
- Local authorities are required to improve private water supplies if necessary.
- Wholesomeness is defined for public supplies in The Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014 and for private supplies in the Private Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
For the full act, click the link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1980/45