19-3506. Survey commission; appointment; qualifications; personnel; survey report to board; approval of plan by board; publication; recordation. Whenever a water district has been created and a board elected as hereinbefore provided, said board shall cause a survey to be made and for such purpose, shall appoint a survey commission which shall consist of three (3) members, one of whom shall be a certified public accountant experienced in the field of water utilities, and one of whom shall be an experienced consulting hydraulic engineer and the third member of said survey commission shall be the nominee, if any, of the water utility corporation or corporations operating within the area comprising such district under a certificate of convenience and necessity, issued by the corporation commission.

Upon being appointed the survey commission may employ with the approval of the water district board such technical, professional and clerical personnel as may be necessary to assist it in the performance of the duties prescribed by this section. The survey commission shall make a complete survey of such water district; shall hold such hearings, make such investigations and examine such experts as deemed necessary, and shall prepare and complete a report as to the fair valuation of all facilities including but not limited to the distribution lines, water towers, meters and real and personal property owned by any such privately owned water utility company or corporation operating in said district and used in connection with the distribution of water in said district.

Said survey commission shall make such investigation as is necessary and shall prepare and complete a report of all public improvements necessary to secure and insure an adequate water supply and distribution system and the estimated costs thereof and to include in such report the estimated cost of additions, improvements and extensions anticipated to meet and fulfill the needs and requirements of the district, consider the possibility of increased requirements and increases in population and the need of construction of a waterworks or plants at a source of water supply within or without the water district or by contract with the adjacent or nearby cities or townships or both, within or without the state, or by both the construction of waterworks and the making of such contracts or otherwise. Said survey report shall contain a projection of estimated rates and rate schedules necessary to pay the cost of acquisition and operation of any existing water system operating within said area and the cost of additions, improvements and extensions thereto, including a projection of rates necessary to build water treatment plant at a source of supply and to amortize the revenue bonds and the interest thereon necessary to pay the cost of such facilities. The survey commission shall make a report of a factual nature and file the same with the water district board and furnish a copy to existing water utilities within the water district. Said board shall, if it deems necessary, expedient, or convenient, hold such hearings and make such studies and investigations as it deems advisable and shall not be bound in any way or manner by the report of the survey commission. The governing body of any such district shall within six (6) months after the filing of said survey report by the commission, approve by a majority vote a plan or program which it deems the most practical and economical for an adequate water distribution system and supply of water and shall cause to be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation within the district such approved plan or program together with such other information as the board shall deem necessary which is pertinent to the plan or program approved by such board and a copy of such published information shall be filed with the county clerk of all the counties in which a portion of the district is located and shall be open to public inspection.

History: L. 1951, ch. 240, § 6; L. 1953, ch. 159, § 3; April 9.