Water and Sewage Services Improvement Act, 1997
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 1 of the Bill enacts the Municipal Water and Sewage Transfer Act, 1997, which is set out in Schedule A to the Bill:
1. The proposed Act would give the Minister of Environment and Energy the power to transfer ownership of water and sewage works owned by the Ontario Clean Water Agency ("OCWA") to municipalities. The power would apply only to works owned by OCWA when the Bill receives Royal Assent and to works constructed pursuant to agreements entered into before the Bill receives Royal Assent. (See section 2 of the proposed Act.)
2. OCWA would continue to operate water and sewage works that it operated before they were transferred. (See section 7 of the proposed Act.)
3. Municipalities would be required to continue making any payments that they were required to make to OCWA before the transfer of water or sewage works. (See section 8 of the proposed Act.)
4. If water or sewage works are transferred to a municipality and OCWA has an agreement to provide water or sewage services to another person through the use of the works, the proposed Act would permit the Minister to require the municipality or another municipality to provide the services. (See section 9 of the proposed Act.)
Section 2 of the Bill amends the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993. These amendments would relieve OCWA and the Crown of obligations to construct, expand or finance the construction or expansion of water or sewage works under agreements entered into before the Bill receives Royal Assent. The amendments would also prevent a municipality from transferring ownership of water or sewage works to another person unless it repaid provincial subsidies relating to the capital costs of the works. A provision of the Act that is spent would be repealed.
Section 3 of the Bill transfers to municipalities most of the responsibility for regulating the construction and use of sewage systems under Part VIII of the Environmental Protection Act. In territory without municipal organization, the Bill transfers these responsibilities to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Section 4 of the Bill amends a provision of the Regional Municipalities Act that deals with the regional municipalities of Haldimand-Norfolk and Sudbury. The amendment is complementary to the amendments to Part VIII of the Environmental Protection Act that are contained in section 3 of the Bill.
Bill 1071997
An Act to enact the Municipal Water and
Sewage Transfer Act, 1997 and to amend other
Acts with respect to water and sewage
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:
Municipal Water and Sewage Transfer Act, 1997
1. The Municipal Water and Sewage Transfer Act, 1997, as set out in Schedule A, is hereby enacted.
Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993
2. (1) Section 53 of the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993 is repealed.
Same
(2) The Act is amended by adding the following sections:
Construction obligations
56.1 (1) The Agency and the Crown have no obligation, pursuant to an agreement entered into with a municipality before section 2 of the Water and Sewage Services Improvement Act, 1997 came into force, to construct, expand or finance the construction or expansion of water works or sewage works.
Pre-existing construction agreements
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to an obligation if the Agency or the Crown entered into an agreement with a construction contractor in respect of the obligation before section 2 of the Water and Sewage Services Improvement Act, 1997 came into force.
Management obligations
(3) Subsection (1) does not affect any obligation of the Agency to manage the construction or expansion of works that are financed and owned by a municipality.
New agreements
(4) Subsection (1) does not prevent the Agency or the Crown from entering into a new agreement to construct, expand or finance the construction or expansion of the works.
Transfer order
(5) If ownership of a water works or sewage works is transferred under the Municipal Water and Sewage Transfer Act, 1997, the transfer order may provide that subsection (1) does not apply in respect of an obligation related to the works.
Repayment of subsidies - water works
56.2 (1) A municipality shall not transfer the ownership of all or part of a water works to another person unless the municipality has repaid to the Crown,
(a) all payments that were made by the Crown on or after April 1, 1978 for the purpose of subsidizing the capital cost of the transferred works; and
(b) all payments that were made by the Crown on or after April 1, 1978 for the purpose of subsidizing the capital cost of other water works that have been used to provide water service to the municipality.
Repayment of subsidies - sewage works
(2) A municipality shall not transfer the ownership of all or part of a sewage works to another person unless the municipality has repaid to the Crown,
(a) all payments that were made by the Crown on or after April 1, 1978 for the purpose of subsidizing the capital cost of the transferred works; and
(b) all payments that were made by the Crown on or after April 1, 1978 for the purpose of subsidizing the capital cost of other sewage works that have been used to provide sewage service to the municipality.
Transfer to another municipality
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply if the municipality transfers the ownership to another municipality.
Transfer void
(4) A transfer of ownership in contravention of subsection (1) or (2) is void.
Federal subsidies
(5) Subsections (1) and (2) do not require the municipality to repay payments that were made,
(a) by the Crown in right of Canada; or
(b) by the Crown in right of Ontario on behalf of the Crown in right of Canada.
Determination of amount
(6) The Minister shall determine any dispute with the municipality about the amount of the payments referred to in clauses (1) (a) and (b) and clauses (2) (a) and (b).
Same
(7) In making a determination under subsection (6), theMinister is not required to hold a hearing but shall give the municipality an opportunity to make written submissions to the Minister.
Environmental Protection Act
3. (1) Part VIII of the Environmental Protection Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, is further amended by striking out "Director" wherever it appears and substituting in each case "approving authority".
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to section 80 of the Act.
(3) Section 74 of the Act is amended by adding the following definitions:
"approving authority" means, with respect to a sewage system, a person designated under section 75.4 as an approving authority for that system; ("autorité approbatrice")
"classified sewage system" means a sewage system that belongs to a classification prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this Part; ("système d'égouts classifié")
"inspector" means, with respect to a sewage system, a person designated under section 75.5 as an inspector for that system; ("inspecteur")
"large classified sewage system" means a classified sewage system that is designed to process sewage flows totalling more than 4,500 litres per day; ("système d'égouts classifié de grande capacité")
"unclassified sewage system" means a sewage system that does not belong to a classification prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this Part; ("système d'égouts non classifié")
"upper tier municipality" means a county, a regional, district or metropolitan municipality or the County of Oxford. ("municipalité de palier supérieur")
(4) The Act is amended by adding the following sections:
Responsibility for enforcement - municipalities
75.1 (1) The council of a local municipality shall be responsible for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 with respect to,
(a) classified sewage systems located within the local municipality; and
(b) such unclassified sewage systems located within thelocal municipality as are prescribed by the regulations.
Upper tier municipalities
(2) Despite subsection (1), the council of an upper tier municipality shall be responsible for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 with respect to,
(a) large classified sewage systems located within the upper tier municipality; and
(b) such unclassified sewage systems located within the upper tier municipality as are prescribed by the regulations.
Separated municipalities
(3) For the purpose of subsection (2), a sewage system is not located within a county if it is located in a local municipality that is separated from the county for municipal purposes.
Joint enforcement; local municipalities
(4) The councils of two or more local municipalities may enter into an agreement,
(a) providing for the joint performance of their responsibilities under this section within their respective municipalities, including the joint designation of approving authorities and inspectors under sections 75.4 and 75.5; and
(b) providing for the sharing of costs incurred in the performance of their responsibilities under this section within their respective municipalities.
Same; upper tier municipalities
(5) The councils of two or more upper tier municipalities may enter into an agreement,
(a) providing for the joint performance of their responsibilities under this section within their respective municipalities, including the joint designation of approving authorities and inspectors under sections 75.4 and 75.5; and
(b) providing for the sharing of costs incurred in the performance of their responsibilities under this section within their respective municipalities.
Enforcement by upper tier municipality
(6) The councils of an upper tier municipality and a local municipality may enter into an agreement providing for the performance of the local municipality's responsibilities underthis section by the council of the upper tier municipality, including the designation of approving authorities and inspectors under sections 75.4 and 75.5.
Responsibility for enforcement - territory without municipal organization
75.2 (1) The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing shall be responsible for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 with respect to,
(a) classified sewage systems located in territory without municipal organization; and
(b) such unclassified sewage systems located in territory without municipal organization as are prescribed by the regulations.
Agreements
(2) The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing may enter into an agreement with a board of health or with a person or body prescribed by the regulations providing for the performance of the Minister's responsibilities under this section by the board of health or by the other person or body, including the designation of approving authorities and inspectors under sections 75.4 and 75.5.
Additional responsibilities
75.3 A person or body that has responsibility for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 with respect to a sewage system also has responsibility with respect to the sewage system for the enforcement of,
(a) the regulations that relate to sections 76 to 79;
(b) section 83, to the extent that an offence under that section relates to sections 76 to 79; and
(c) any provision of this Act that is prescribed by the regulations, to the extent that the provision relates to sections 76 to 79.
Approving authorities
75.4 (1) A person or body that has responsibility for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 shall designate one or more approving authorities for the sewage systems for which the person or body has responsibility.
Qualifications
(2) A person may be designated only if he or she meets the qualifications prescribed by the regulations.
Unclassified sewage systems
(3) Despite subsection (2), the Director is designated as the approving authority for unclassified sewage systems, except unclassified sewage systems with respect to which a local municipality, an upper tier municipality or the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has responsibility for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 in accordance with the regulations.
Inspectors
75.5 (1) A person or body that has responsibility for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 shall designate one or more inspectors for the sewage systems for which the person or body has responsibility.
Qualifications
(2) A person may be designated only if he or she has been certified as an inspector in accordance with the regulations and meets such other qualifications as are prescribed by the regulations.
Unclassified sewage systems
(3) Despite subsection (2), all provincial officers are designated as inspectors for unclassified sewage systems, except unclassified sewage systems with respect to which a local municipality, an upper tier municipality or the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing has responsibility for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79 in accordance with the regulations.
Powers
(4) For the purposes of this Part, an inspector has all the powers and duties of a provincial officer under Part XV.
Provincial offences officers
(5) Every inspector shall be deemed to have been designated under subsection 1 (3) of the Provincial Offences Act as a provincial offences officer for the purposes of offences under this Part.
(5) Section 77 of the Act is amended by adding the following subsection:
Application of cl. (3) (a)
(3.1) Clause (3) (a) does not apply if the Director is the approving authority.
(6) Subsection 78 (2) of the Act is amended by striking out "a provincial officer" in the sixth and seventh lines and substituting "an inspector".
(7) Subsection 78 (6) of the Act is amended by striking out "aprovincial officer" in the first line and substituting "an inspector".
(8) Subsection 78 (7) of the Act is amended by striking out "a provincial officer" in the third and fourth lines and in the fourth and fifth lines and substituting in each case "an inspector".
(9) Section 81 of the Act is repealed.
(10) Subsection 81.1 (1) of the Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, is amended by striking out "sewage system program" in the third line and substituting "sewage system inspection program".
(11) Subsections 81.1 (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) of the Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, are repealed.
(12) Subsection 81.1 (8) of the Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, is amended by striking out "sewage system program" in the third line and substituting "sewage system inspection program".
(13) Section 82 of the Act is repealed.
(14) Part XII of the Act is amended by adding the following section:
Application to Part VIII approvals and orders
136.1 This Part applies, with necessary modifications, in respect of an approval or order of an approving authority under Part VIII and, for that purpose,
(a) a reference in this Part to the Director shall be deemed to be a reference to an approving authority designated under Part VIII; and
(b) a reference in this Part to the Crown in right of Ontario shall be deemed, in the case of an approval or order of an approving authority designated by the council of a municipality under Part VIII, to be a reference to the municipality.
(15) Part XIII of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1992, chapter 1, section 32 and 1994, chapter 27, section 115, is further amended by adding the following section:
Decisions under Part VIII
145.1 (1) This Part applies, with necessary modifications, to orders and decisions made by approving authorities under Part VIII and, for that purpose, a reference in this Part to theDirector shall be deemed to be a reference to the approving authority.
No review by Minister
(2) Subsection 144 (3) does not apply to a decision of the Board that relates to an order or decision made under Part VIII.
(16) Subsection 176 (6) of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, is further amended by adding the following clauses:
(j.1) prescribing unclassified sewage systems with respect to which a local municipality, an upper tier municipality or the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing shall be responsible for the enforcement of sections 76 to 79;
(j.2) prescribing persons or bodies for the purpose of subsection 75.2 (2);
(j.3) prescribing provisions of this Act for the purpose of clause 75.3 (c);
(j.4) prescribing the qualifications of approving authorities, providing for examination of approving authorities and governing the designation of approving authorities;
(j.5) governing the exercise and performance of powers and duties by approving authorities.
(17) Clause 176 (6) (l) of the Act is repealed and the following substituted:
(l) prescribing the qualifications of inspectors, providing for examination and certification of inspectors, governing the designation of inspectors, prescribing reasons for which certification may be suspended or cancelled and prescribing the length of suspensions and the terms for removing suspensions.
(18) Clause 176 (6) (n) of the Act, as enacted by the Statutes of Ontario, 1994, chapter 23, section 66, is repealed and the following substituted:
(n) governing municipal sewage system inspection programs under section 81.1.
Regional Municipalities Act
4. Section 97 of the Regional Municipalities Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario 1992, chapter 23, section 41, isfurther amended by adding the following subsection:
Sewage systems
(4.1) The Regional Corporation shall be deemed to be a local municipality for the purposes of Part VIII of the Environmental Protection Act.
Transition, Commencement and Short Title
Transition
5. (1) A certificate of approval, permit or order issued under Part VIII of the Environmental Protection Act before subsection 3 (1) of this Act comes into force shall be deemed, for the purpose of that Part, to have been issued by the appropriate approving authority.
Same
(2) An agreement entered into under section 81 of the Environmental Protection Act before subsection 3 (9) of this Act comes into force is terminated on the coming into force of subsection 3 (9) of this Act.
Same
(3) Every appointment as a Director made under clause 5 (1) (c) of the Environmental Protection Act for the purpose of Part VIII of that Act is terminated on the coming into force of subsection 3 (4) of this Act.
Same
(4) Every designation as a provincial officer made under clause 5 (2) (c) or (d) of the Environmental Protection Act for the purpose of Part VIII of that Act is terminated on the coming into force of subsection 3 (4) of this Act.
Same
(5) Despite the enactment of subsection 145.1 (2) of the Environmental Protection Act by subsection 3 (15) of this Act, subsection 144 (3) of the Environmental Protection Act continues to apply to an appeal commenced under that subsection before subsection 3 (15) of this Act comes into force.
Commencement
6. (1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.
Same
(2) Sections 3, 4 and 5 come into force on October 1, 1997.
Short title
7. The short title of this Act is the Water and Sewage Services Improvement Act, 1997.
SCHEDULE A
MUNICIPAL WATER AND SEWAGE TRANSFER ACT, 1997
CONTENTS
|
1. |
Definitions |
|
2. |
Transfer orders |
|
3. |
Interests in land |
|
4. |
Effective date of transfer |
|
5. |
Transfer to two or more municipalities |
|
6. |
Management of works transferred to two or more municipalities |
|
7. |
Operation of works |
|
8. |
Payments to OCWA |
|
9. |
Agreements to provide service to other persons |
|
10. |
Amendment of transfer order |
|
11. |
Actions relating to transferred liability |
|
12. |
Agreements relating to planning, etc. |
|
13. |
Powers of municipality |
|
14. |
Delegation |
|
15. |
Act prevails |
|
16. |
Commencement |
|
17. |
Short title |
_________________________
Definitions
1. (1) In this Act,
"Minister" means the Minister of Environment and Energy; ("ministre")
"municipality" has the same meaning as in the Ontario Water Resources Act; ("municipalité")
"OCWA" means the Ontario Clean Water Agency established under the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993; ("Agence")
"sewage works" has the same meaning as in the Ontario WaterResources Act; ("station d'épuration des eaux d'égout")
"transfer order" means an order under section 2; ("arrêté de transfert")
"water works" has the same meaning as in the Ontario Water Resources Act. ("station de purification de l'eau")
Interpretation - predecessors of OCWA
(2) For the purposes of this Act, the predecessors of OCWA are the Ontario Water Resources Commission and the Crown in right of Ontario.
Transfer orders
2. (1) The Minister may make an order transferring to a municipality the beneficial and legal ownership of a water works or sewage works owned by OCWA.
Application
(2) Subsection (1) applies only to water works and sewage works that,
(a) were owned by OCWA immediately before this section came into force; or
(b) were constructed pursuant to agreements entered into before this section came into force.
Scope of order
(3) An order under subsection (1),
(a) may apply to one or more water works or sewage works;
(b) may apply to all or part of a water works or sewage works; and
(c) may transfer ownership to one or more municipalities.
Related assets, etc.
(4) A transfer order may also provide for the transfer to the municipality of other assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of OCWA related to the water works or sewage works.
Exception
(5) Subsection (4) does not permit the transfer of,
(a) a liability that arose out of the operation, on or after November 15, 1993, of the water works or sewage works;
(b) a liability that arose before the transfer order took effect, if an action based on the liability wascommenced before the transfer order took effect; or
(c) a liability in respect of which OCWA is retaining a holdback or holding money in trust under the Construction Lien Act.
Transfer order respecting land
(6) The Minister may make a separate transfer order transferring ownership of an interest in land.
Time limitation
(7) No order shall be made under this section after January 1, 2005.
Ownership of works
(8) For the purposes of this section, water works or sewage works shall be deemed to be owned by OCWA if,
(a) OCWA or a predecessor of OCWA is the beneficial or legal owner of the works; or
(b) a predecessor of OCWA was the beneficial or legal owner of the works at any time, unless another person is the beneficial owner and the legal owner of the works.
Ownership of land
(9) Subsection (8) applies, with necessary modifications, to an interest in land on which a water works or sewage works is located.
Interests in land
3. (1) A transfer order that transfers ownership of an interest in land may be registered in the proper land registry office.
Claims under Part III of Registry Act
(2) A transfer order registered under subsection (1) shall be deemed to be a notice of claim registered in accordance with Part III of the Registry Act.
Exception
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the transfer order is made on or after December 31, 1999.
Effective date of transfer
4. A transfer order takes effect on the date specified by the order and the property transferred by the order vests in the municipality on that date.
Transfer to two or more municipalities
5. (1) The Minister shall not make a transfer order transferring ownership of a water works or sewage works, or agroup of water works or sewage works, to two or more municipalities unless, at least nine months before the order takes effect, the Minister gives the municipalities notice of the proposed order and an opportunity to make written submissions concerning the proposed order.
Same
(2) The Minister is not required to consider any submissions that are received more than six months after giving the notice.
Same
(3) The Minister shall not make the transfer order until at least six months after giving the notice.
Same
(4) Subsections (1) and (3) do not apply if all the municipalities agree.
Modification of order
(5) If the notice required by subsection (1) is given, the Minister may make the transfer order with such modifications as the Minister considers appropriate.
Management of works transferred to two or more municipalities
6. (1) If a transfer order transfers ownership of a water works or sewage works, or a group of water works or sewage works, to two or more municipalities, the works shall be managed by a joint board established in accordance with the transfer order.
Transfer order
(2) The transfer order may contain other provisions governing the management of the works.
Agreement
(3) Except as otherwise provided by the transfer order, subsection (1) does not apply if the municipalities agree on another method of managing the works.
Disputes
(4) A municipality may apply to the Ontario Municipal Board to resolve any dispute that arises among the municipalities with respect to the management of a water works or sewage works to which this section applies.
Activities outside municipality
(5) If a transfer order transfers ownership of a water works or sewage works, or a group of water works or sewage works, to two or more municipalities, any rule of law that prohibits any of the municipalities from acquiring land or doing any other thing outside the municipality does not apply if the acquisition of the land or the doing of the thing is for the purposes of the works or an extension to or replacement of the works.
Operation of works
7. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), OCWA shall continue to operate any water works or sewage works that it operated immediately before ownership of the works was transferred to a municipality under this Act.
Agreements re operation
(2) Subject to subsection (3) and section 8, any provisions that are contained in an agreement to which OCWA or a predecessor of OCWA was a party immediately before the transfer order took effect and that relate to the operation of the works continue to apply despite the transfer.
Termination of OCWA operation
(3) If an agreement referred to in subsection (2) does not provide for the termination of OCWA's operation of the works, the operation of the works by OCWA may be terminated by OCWA or the municipality, if at least six months written notice of the termination is given to the other effective not earlier than one year after the date the transfer order took effect.
Payments to OCWA
8. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4), if ownership of a water works or sewage works is transferred to a municipality under this Act, any municipality that was obligated under an agreement to make payments to OCWA in respect of the operation of the works, the capital costs of the works or any other matter related to the works continues to be obligated to make those payments in accordance with the agreement despite the transfer.
Operation
(2) Subsection (1) no longer applies to payments in respect of the operation of the works if OCWA stops operating the works.
Transfer order
(3) The transfer order may contain provisions specifying what portion of the payments that a municipality is required to pay under subsection (1) are payments in respect of the operation of the works.
Two or more municipalities
(4) If ownership of the works is transferred to two or more municipalities, the transfer order may provide that,
(a) all payments to which OCWA is entitled under subsection (1) shall be paid by one of the municipalities to which ownership of the works is transferred or by a joint board established in accordance with the order; and
(b) any municipality that would otherwise have been required to make payments to OCWA under subsection (1) shall instead make those payments to the municipalityor joint board that is required to make payments to OCWA under clause (a).
Agreements to provide service to other persons
9. (1) If a transfer order is made transferring ownership of a water works or sewage works to a municipality and an agreement that was entered into before the transfer takes effect requires OCWA or a predecessor of OCWA to provide water or sewage services to a person other than the municipality through the use of those works, the transfer order,
(a) may require the municipality, another municipality or a joint board that manages the works to provide the services; and
(b) may contain provisions governing payment for the services.
Collection of payments
(2) A municipality that is entitled to payments for services it is required to provide under clause (1) (a) may, for the purpose of collecting those payments, pass a by-law deeming the payments to be sewage service rates, water rates, sewer rates or water works rates for the purposes of the Municipal Act and the Public Utilities Act.
Termination of services
(3) The obligation to provide services under clause (1) (a) terminates on the date OCWA or its predecessor would no longer have been obligated to provide the services under the agreement that was entered into before the transfer order took effect.
Same
(4) Despite subsection (3) and despite the agreement referred to in that subsection, the transfer order may provide that the obligation to provide services under clause (1) (a) terminates on a date before or after the date referred to in subsection (3).
No compensation
(5) The person to whom OCWA or its predecessor was obligated to provide services before the transfer order took effect is not entitled to any compensation as a result of the operation of this Act.
Amendment of transfer order
10. (1) The Minister may at any time amend a transfer order to clarify what works and what other assets, liabilities, rights and obligations have been transferred by the order.
Application of subs. 2 (7)
(2) Subsection 2 (7) does not prohibit the amendment of a transfer order after January 1, 2005.
Actions relating to transferred liability
11. No proceeding may be commenced against OCWA, its predecessors, a minister of the Crown, a Director under the Environmental Protection Act or the Ontario Water Resources Act, or any public servant who acted on behalf of OCWA, its predecessors, a minister of the Crown or the Director, in respect of any liability or obligation that has been transferred under this Act.
Agreements relating to planning, etc.
12. The making of a transfer order does not affect the obligations of OCWA under any agreement entered into on or after November 15, 1993 relating to the planning, design or construction of the works or the expansion of the works.
Powers of municipality
13. A municipality to which ownership of a water works or sewage works is transferred under this Act has all powers necessary to carry out the transfer order.
Delegation
14. The Minister may, by an instrument in writing, delegate any of his or her powers or duties under this Act to any civil servant employed in the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Act prevails
15. In the event of a conflict, this Act prevails over any provision in the Capital Investment Plan Act, 1993, the Ontario Water Resources Act, the Public Utilities Act or an agreement made under the Ontario Water Resources Act.
Commencement
16. This Act comes into force on the day the Water and Sewage Services Improvement Act, 1997 receives Royal Assent.
Short title
17. The short title of this Act is the Municipal Water and Sewage Transfer Act, 1997.