Local authority to provide potable water

(1) Every local authority may, and if the Government so direct shall, provide or arrange for the provision of a sufficient supply of drinking water for consumption by the inhabitants of the area within its jurisdiction. (2) The local authority shall, so far as may be practicable, make adequate provision for securing— (a) that the water-supply is continuous throughout the year, and (b) that the water supplied is at all times wholesome and fit for human consumption. (3) A local authority may also provide or arrange for the provision of a sufficient supply of water for other domestic purposes or for non-domestic purposes.