Power of Government to divert water from water main belonging to a local authority

The Government shall have power to authorise to use all water from any water main belonging to or in the control of a local authority for supplying water to any other area, subject to such payment being made to the local authorities concerned and subject to also such other conditions as the Government may consider reasonable: Provided that before taking action under this section, Government shall communicate to the local authority the grounds on which they proposed to do so, fix a reasonable period for the local authority to show cause against the proposal and consider its explanation or objection if any.