Part 5: Water Section 85: Authority’s power to require information New Section 27ZA: Power to require information for purpose of monitoring
This new section provides the Water Services Regulation Authority ("Ofwat") with a strengthened information gathering power when performing its duties under section 27(1) (reviewing water and sewerage company and water supply and sewerage licensees performance of duties) and section 27(2) (collecting information on company and licensees activities under their licences to operate) of that Act.
	Subsection (1) enables Ofwat to issue a notice to a water or sewerage undertaker or licensee requesting information in relation to its functions under section 27(1) and section 27(2). Ofwat has duties under the Water Industry Act 1991 to (a) keep under review the manner in which water and sewerage undertakers and licensees carry out their functions and activities (under section 27(1)); and (b) collect information with respect to the manner in which water and sewerage undertakers and licensees carry out their functions and activities, so as to enable Ofwat to become aware of matters relating to its statutory powers or duties (under section 27(2)).
	Subsection (2) defines the notice as a notice which requires a person to produce specified documents by a particular time, to a particular location, or to provide specified information in a specific manner and form at a particular time and place.
	Subsection (3) provides that the duties in this section are enforceable by Ofwat using the procedure set out under section 18 of the Water Industry Act 1991.
	Subsection (4) provides clarification that nothing in this section requires a contravention of the data protection legislation.
	Subsection (5) imports the "data protection legislation" definition in section 3(9) of the Data Protection Act 2018. That section currently defines the "data protection legislation" as the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR); the Data Protection Act 2018 and regulations made under it, and other key legislation.
	This section forms part of the law of England and Wales and applies to England and Wales.