The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd v United Utilities Plc [2014] UKSC 40

United Utilities Plc has won its appeal to the Supreme Court in its long-running case against the Manchester Ship Canal Company concerning discharges into the Canal. See The Manchester Ship Canal Company Ltd v United Utilities Plc [2014] UKSC 40. United Utilities counsel team included Julian Greenhill and James McCreath of Wilberforce Chambers, under the leadership of Jonathan Karas QC of Falcon Chambers.

In a decision of major significance to all sewerage undertakers across England and Wales, as well as to owners of canals and other private watercourses, the Supreme Court unanimously held that sewerage undertakers have an implied statutory right to discharge surface water and treated effluent from sewer outfalls that were in use on or before 1 December 1991 when the Water Industry Act 1991 came into force.

Download the Judgment (Crown copyright)