18.     Power of Water Authority to supply water to premises

            (1) The Water Authority may, subject to the provisions of this Act, supply water to any premises within the waterworks area on application being made by the owner or occupier thereof.

            (2) No such application shall be unreasonably refused.

            (3) Where the cost of providing any extension necessary to enable the supply applied for to be made would be excessive in relation to the moneys which would be recovered by way of charges for water, the applicant may be required to pay such cost as a condition of obtaining such supply.

19.     Manner of assessing charges for water supplied

            The charges for water supplied by a Water Authority may, at the option of the Water Authority-

     (a)     be assessed on the quantity of water supplied to the consumer as registered by a meter installed on the consumer's premises by the Water Authority;

     (b)     be assessed on the quantity of water supplied to the consumer as computed in some manner approved by the Minister; or

     (c)     be otherwise arrived at by agreement with the consumer upon such terms and conditions as the Minister may approve.

20.     Water Authority may prescribe charges, etc.

            The Water Authority, with the approval of the Minister may prescribe-

     (a)     the charges to be paid per unit of quantity for water supplied by metered or computed quantity;

     (b)     any minimum charges to be paid for water so supplied;

     (c)     the rent to be paid for meters installed by the Water Authority; and

     (d)     the time within which such charges and rents shall be paid, and the terms and conditions of payment, including the payment of deposits,

            by consumers generally or by any class of consumers.

21.     Power to authorize supply of water outside defined area

            (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the Minister may authorize a Water Authority to supply water outside its waterworks area.

            (2) The Minister may prescribe the charge for water so supplied and the conditions on which a supply shall be authorized:

            Provided that any charge so prescribed shall not be less than the charge for a similar supply within the waterworks area.