Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Act 2023 (2023 No 54).

The Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Act 2023 is a legislative framework aimed at enhancing the efficiency of water services while ensuring consumer protection. The Act outlines the responsibilities of the Minister and the Commission in regulating water services. The Act allows for the establishment of a Water Services Consumers Agency, which the Minister can approve to perform specific functions related to consumer interests in water services. It also includes provisions for the incorporation of material by reference in secondary legislation, allowing for amendments to be legally recognized if they are of the same general character as the original material. The Act emphasizes the importance of reviews conducted by the Commission regarding the regulation of water services. It outlines processes for additional regulation reviews and deregulation reviews, focusing on the quality of service provided to consumers and the potential need for regulated entities to adhere to additional provisions. Furthermore, the Act mandates that the Commission must consider various factors, such as the number of consumers served and the quality of service, when making recommendations to the Minister regarding the regulation of water services entities.The text consists of 172 Articles divided into 5 Parts and has 2 Schedules.