Water Act 1989 (Chapter 15).
The Water Act 1989 sanctioned a major shift in the policy of the government towards severing the public utility function from the comprehensive scope of water management authority of the Regional Water Authorities operating in England and Wales, and entrusting it with limited public companies. The regulatory functions hitherto vested in the said authorities, augmented by the addition of regulatory functions with respect to navigation, river conservancy and harbours are vested in a National Rivers Authority.