When used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) AUTHORITY. The Marion County Public Water Authority, a public corporation organized pursuant to this article.

(2) BOARD. The Board of Directors of the Marion County Public Water Authority.

(3) BONDS. Bonds, notes, and certificates representing an obligation to pay money.

(4) CONCISE LEGAL DESCRIPTION. A reasonably concise description of a particular geographic area which may be by metes and bounds or by reference to government surveys, recorded maps and plats, municipal, county, or state boundary lines, well-defined landmarks and other monuments, or any combination of the foregoing.

(5) COUNTY. Marion County.

(6) DIRECTOR. A member of the Board of Directors of the Marion County Public Water Authority.

(7) FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE. All services involved in protecting property and life from fires including, but not limited to, discovering, ascertaining, extinguishing, preventing the spread of or fighting fires, or inspecting property for fire hazards, or any part or combination thereof. The supplying of water for use in the rendition of fire protection service and the installation and maintenance of fire hydrants shall be deemed to constitute fire protection service.

(8) INCORPORATORS. The persons forming a public corporation organized pursuant to this article.

(9) MUNICIPALITY. An incorporated city or town of Marion County.

(10) NEW TERRITORY. Any territory added, by amendment to the certificate of incorporation of an authority, to the area or areas in which that authority is authorized to render water service, fire protection service, or any thereof.

(11) PERSON. Unless limited to a natural person by the context in which it is used, such term includes a public or private corporation, a municipality, a county, or an agency, department, or instrumentality of the state or of a county or municipality.

(12) PROPERTY. Real and personal property and interests therein.

(13) PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM. A water system which is owned or operated by the United States of America, the state, a county, a municipality, a public corporation organized under the laws of the state, any combination of any thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof or in which any one or more thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof holds a reversionary or remainder interest.

(14) SERVICE AREA. The geographic area or areas in which the authority is authorized by its certificate of incorporation, or any amendment thereto, to render water and fire protection service, or any thereof, which area may include not only territory located outside the boundaries of any municipality but also territory located within the boundaries of one or more municipalities.

(15) STATE. The State of Alabama.

(16) WATER SERVICE. The providing, furnishing, supplying, or distributing of water and the performing of all of the functions and activities reasonably incident to the operation of a water system.

(17) WATER SYSTEM. Land, plants, systems, facilities, buildings, and other property, or any combination of any thereof, which are used or useful or capable of future use in providing, furnishing, supplying, or distributing water including, but not limited to, water supply systems, water distribution systems, reservoirs, wells, intakes, mains, laterals, aqueducts, pumping stations, standpipes, filtration plants, purification plants, meters, valves, fire hydrants, and all necessary appurtenances and equipment, and all properties, rights, easements, and franchises deemed necessary or desirable by the authority for use in rendering water service.