e powers.
They may provide their district or any part of it with a supply of
water proper and sufficient for public and private purposes, and for
this purpose they may construct and maintain waterworks, dig wells,
take on lease or hire any waterworks, purchase waterworks or water, or
right to take or convey water either within or without their district,
and any rights, powers and privileges of any water company, and
contract with any person for the supply of water. They may not,
however, commence to construct waterworks within the limits of supply
of any water company empowered by act of parliament or provisional
order to supply water without giving notice to the company, and not
even then so long as the company are able and willing to supply the
necessary water. Any dispute as to whether the company are able and
willing has to be settled by arbitration. Where the council do supply
water, they have the same powers of carrying mains under streets or
through private lands as they have with respect to the laying of
sewers, as already mentioned. They can charge water rents which depend
upon agreements with consumers, or they may charge water rates
assessed on the net annual value of the premises supplied. It is to be
observed that they are not bound to charge for a supply of water at
all, unless they are required to do so in an urban district by at
least ten persons, rated to the poor rate, or in a parish in a rural
district by at least five persons so rated in the parish. Even then
the amount of the rate is left to the council, any deficiency in the
cost of the water, in so far as it is not defrayed out of water rates
or rents, being borne in an urban district by the general district
rate, and in a rural district by the separate sanitary rates made for
the parish or contributory place supplied. For the purpose of enabling
them to supply water, most of the provisions of the Waterworks Clauses
Acts are incorporated with the Public Health Act, and are made
available for the district council. They are empowered to supply water
by measure if they think fit, and may charge a rent for water-meters.
The power of the district council to supply water is strictly limited
to their own district, but they may, with the sanction of the Local
Government Board, supply water to the council of an adjoining district
on such terms as may be agreed upon, or as, in case of dispu