§ 1174-c. Water authority of Southeastern Nassau county district. 1. There is hereby created a district to be known as the "water authority of Southeastern Nassau county district" which shall be defined as all that portion of Nassau county serviced by the New York Water service corporation as of January first, nineteen hundred ninety-one.

2. If the authority decides to enter into a contract to purchase or otherwise acquire an interest in the New York Water Service Corporation or to initiate a condemnation proceeding pursuant to the eminent domain procedure law, prior to entering into any contract to purchase or otherwise acquire an interest in the New York Water Service Corporation or the initiation of any condemnation proceeding by the authority pursuant to the eminent domain procedure law the authority shall provide ratepayers within the area serviced by the New York Water Service Corporation and the public with public forums for the expression and discussion of views regarding such purchase, acquisition or condemnation of the New York Water Service Corporation. The authority shall hold at least one forum in each of the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay within the portions of the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay serviced by the New York Water Service Corporation.

3. If the authority decides to enter into a contract to purchase or otherwise acquire an interest in the New York Water Service Corporation or to initiate a condemnation proceeding pursuant to the eminent domain procedure law, the authority is authorized to provide registered voters within the area serviced by the New York Water Service Corporation prior to entering into such contract to purchase or otherwise acquire an interest in the New York Water Service Corporation or the initiation of any condemnation proceeding by the authority pursuant to the eminent domain procedure law, with a nonbinding referendum, regarding whether the authority should enter into a contract to purchase or otherwise acquire an interest in the New York Water Service Corporation or initiate condemnation proceeding pursuant to the eminent domain procedure law. The proposition shall be placed on the ballot and voted upon at a special election or a date to be determined by the Nassau county board of elections.