Water Resources Act 1996.

The scope of this Act is to ensure the optimum development and use of Niue's water resources. For this purpose, the Act provides for: (a) the coordination of all activities which may influence the quality, quantity, distribution, use and management of water; (b) application of appropriate standards and techniques for the investigation, use, control, protection, management and administration of water resources; (c) the proper disposal of any waste products that will pollute our water.
The Act consists of 31 sections divided into 8 Parts: Preliminary (I); General powers of the Manager (II); Ground water (III); Construction of bores (IV); Use of bores (V); Water supply (VI); Regulations (VII); Miscellaneous (VIII).
The Cabinet, the Board, the Manager and any person exercising powers pursuant to this Act shall have regard to the need to make proper provision for matters to be regulated as specified in section 5. The principal public officer responsible for management and conservation is the Manager, duties of which are set out in section 6. They include: (a) the investigation and exploration of groundwater resources and the collection of data and dissemination of information relating thereto; (b) the management, conservation, protection and replenishment of water resources; (c) the construction, alteration, repair and maintenance of bores; (d) the licensing, inspection, oversight and control of the extraction and use of water from any bore; (e) the distribution and sale of water from any public water supply; (f) other duties relative to bores and the pollution of water resources and the control and administration of all public water supplies and of all water works. Power to enter and use lands and other powers of the Manager and other public officers are set out in section 9, whereas section 10 provides for powers for entering land and premises. The Manager may, in times of actual or anticipated shortage of water, by public notification impose restrictions on the use of water (sect. 11) and make Water Conservation Orders under section 12. The manager may order the preparation of a program of investigation into groundwater resources in accordance with Part III. No person other than the Manager or public body shall construct, alter, repair or maintain any bore for the purpose of extracting water or cause any such bore to be constructed, altered, repaired or maintained, except as under a licence granted by the Manager under Part IV. The Manager may also grant licences to extract and use supply and sell water from any bore under Part V. Section 18 provides for waste disposal licences. The Manager may, subject to the provisions of this Act, extract and collect from any bore constructed for the purpose of supplying water, and may store, supply and sell any such water to any person, Public Authority or any Village Council. Section 26 sets out powers of the Health Officer in respect of water pollution that may become a threat to public health. The Cabinet may make Regulations for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this Act in accordance with section 27. Section 29 prescribes offences. This Act is administered by the Water and Waste Utility.