48-3713. Powers of district

A. The district, acting through its board, shall:

1. Enter into a contract or contracts with the secretary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

2. Provide for the repayment of construction costs, interest and annual operation, maintenance and replacement costs allocated to the district and payment of administrative costs and expenses of the district.

3. Levy an annual tax to defray district costs and expenses and to effect repayment of a portion of the district's obligation to the United States. Such tax levy shall not exceed ten cents per each one hundred dollars of assessed valuation of the taxable property within the district.

4. Establish and cause to be collected charges for water consistent with federal reclamation law and contracts entered into between the district and the secretary pursuant to this chapter.

5. Cooperate and contract with the secretary to carry out the provisions of the reclamation act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388), and acts amendatory thereof or supplementary thereto, including the Colorado river basin project act (82 Stat. 885).

6. Establish and maintain reserve accounts in amounts which may be required by any contract between the district and the secretary and in such additional amounts as may be deemed necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

7. Coordinate and cooperate with the Arizona water banking authority.

B. The district, acting through its board, may:

1. Contract with the United States to be the operating agent of the central Arizona project and to maintain all or portions of the project and subcontract with others for the operation or maintenance of portions of the project.

2. Acquire in any lawful manner real and personal property of every kind necessary or convenient for the uses and purposes of the district.

3. Acquire electricity or other forms of energy necessary for the operation of the central Arizona project. Effective retroactively to taxable years beginning from and after December 31, 1984, the acquisition of electricity or other forms of energy by the district for the purposes of pumping central Arizona project water shall not be subject to any state or municipal transaction privilege or use tax.

4. Contract for or perform feasibility studies of water storage, storage facilities and recovery wells.

5. Acquire, develop, construct, operate, maintain and acquire permits for water storage, storage facilities and recovery wells pursuant to title 45, chapter 3.1 using surplus central Arizona project water.

6. Enter into contracts to acquire, permit, develop, construct, operate and maintain water storage, storage facilities and recovery wells with any person pursuant to title 45, chapter 3.1. Such projects may utilize water, including central Arizona project water, which such persons have the right to store pursuant to title 45, chapter 3.1.

7. Plan, analyze, propose, apply for, construct, operate, maintain and dismantle state demonstration projects for water storage and recovery under title 45, chapter 3.1, article 6.

8. Acquire real property for state demonstration projects for water storage and recovery under title 45, chapter 3.1 by purchase, lease, donation, dedication, exchange or other lawful means in areas suitable for demonstration projects for water storage and recovery of state water in counties in which the district has water transportation facilities.

9. Advance monies necessary for the installation, construction, repair, maintenance or replacement of capital improvements related to any water storage, storage facilities and recovery wells or any other replenishment activities of the district undertaken pursuant to article 4 of this chapter. Monies advanced under this paragraph bear interest as determined by the board. Repayment of the advances shall be amortized over the useful life of the capital improvements, as determined by the board. Utilization of excess capacity in a state demonstration project for replenishment purposes pursuant to section 48-3772, subsection B, paragraph 8 does not constitute the advancement of monies under this paragraph. Monies advanced under this paragraph shall not be used to pay the principal of, or interest or premium on, revenue bonds issued pursuant to article 3 of this chapter to acquire, lease or exchange water or water rights and develop infrastructure necessary for the district to perform its replenishment obligations.

10. Advance monies for the payment of the operation and administrative costs and expenses of the district relating to performance of the groundwater replenishment obligations under article 4 of this chapter, including replenishment reserve activities and reasonable reserves. Monies advanced under this paragraph shall bear interest as determined by the board. Repayment of the advances may be amortized over a reasonable period, as determined by the board. Monies advanced under this paragraph shall not be used to pay the principal of, or interest or premium on, revenue bonds issued pursuant to article 3 of this chapter to acquire, lease or exchange water or water rights and develop infrastructure necessary for the district to perform its replenishment obligations.

11. Assign to the account of the district at fair value long-term storage credits, as defined in section 45-802.01, held by the district.

12. Provide technical and operational support to the Arizona water banking authority and shall be reimbursed by the Arizona water banking authority for providing that support.

13. Appoint certain employees of the district as peace officers only for purposes of providing law enforcement on property which is under the control of the district. The district shall not have any more than ten employees designated as peace officers at any one time.

14. Except for electric capacity and energy allocated to the Arizona power authority under the Hoover power plant act of 1984 (P.L. 98-381; 98 Stat. 1333), sell, resell, deliver or distribute electricity or other forms of energy acquired by the district for purposes of operating the central Arizona project but not needed by the district for such purposes, except that the district may not sell, resell, deliver or distribute electricity to a retail electric customer as defined in section 30-801.

C. The authority granted under title 45, chapter 3.1, article 6 does not authorize the district to withdraw and use groundwater that exists naturally in the basin in which the stored water is located. The authority provided in subsection B, paragraph 7 of this section is in addition to and distinct from any authority granted to the district by subsection B, paragraphs 5 and 6 of this section.

D. The functions of the district under subsection B, paragraph 5 of this section may be performed on behalf of the district by other persons under contract with the district.

E. The district may enter into and carry out subcontracts with water users for the delivery of water through the facilities of the central Arizona project. Such contracts as may be entered into between the district and the secretary and between the district and water users shall be subject to the provisions of the Colorado river basin project act (P.L. 90-537; 82 Stat. 885). Before entering into such contracts the district shall determine that the proposed contract or proposed amendment, and all related exhibits and agreements, have been submitted to the director of water resources as required by section 45-107, subsection D.

F. The district may in conjunction with any other marketing entity or entities be a marketing entity under section 107 of the Hoover power plant act of 1984 (P.L. 98-381; 98 Stat. 1333) solely for the limited purposes of establishing and collecting the additional rate components authorized by that act and may enter into contracts for that purpose. This subsection does not limit the authority of the district under subsection B, paragraph 3 of this section and does not prohibit the United States western area power administration or the Arizona power authority from making incidental disposition of power acquired by the district for purposes of operating the central Arizona project but not needed by the district for such purposes.

G. Persons who are appointed as peace officers by the district pursuant to subsection B of this section shall provide law enforcement on the property which is under the control of the district. District peace officers shall not preempt the authority and jurisdiction of other police agencies of this state or its political subdivisions. A district peace officer shall notify appropriate agencies of this state and its political subdivisions after making a felony arrest or beginning a felony investigation within the jurisdiction of that agency. District peace officers shall have at least those qualifications prescribed by section 41-1822 and are not eligible to participate in the public safety personnel retirement system. The district is not eligible to receive funds from the peace officers' training fund specified in section 41-1825. The district shall reimburse the Arizona peace officer standards and training board for all training expenses incurred by the board for the district and all audit expenses incurred by the board in reviewing compliance by the district with peace officer standards and law enforcement standards established by the board.