At any time after the creation of a regional water and sewer district, any county, township, or municipal corporation whose territory is not wholly included within such district may file an application with such district setting forth a general description of the territory it desires to have included within such district, the necessity for the inclusion of such territory within the district, that it will be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare, and that it will be practical and feasible for such territory to be included within the district. If said application is approved by a majority of the board of trustees of said district, the territory described in said application shall thereupon become part of such district. If such application fails to receive the approval of a majority of the board within sixty days after the filing of said application with said district, the county, township, or municipal corporation filing such application may file a petition in the court of common pleas requesting the order of such court upon the board directing the board to include the territory described in said application within said district. Upon the filing of such petition the court shall set a date for hearing and notify the district by service of process on the secretary of the board of the filing of such petition and of the date set for the hearing. If at such hearing the court finds that it will be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the district and to the territory described in the petition and that it will be practical and feasible for such territory to be included within such district, the court shall order that such territory be included within the district and the terms for its inclusion therein. If the court finds that it will not be conducive to the public health, safety, convenience, or welfare of the district or to the territory described in the petition, or that it will not be practical or feasible for such territory to be included within such district, it shall dismiss the petition and adjudge the costs against the petitioner.

Such inclusion shall become legally effective unless, prior to the ninetieth day following the approval of the board or the order of the court for inclusion, qualified electors residing in the area proposed to be included in such district equal in number to a majority of the qualified electors voting at the last general election in such area file with the secretary of the board of trustees of the district in which inclusion is proposed a petition of remonstrance against such inclusion. The secretary shall cause the board of elections of the proper county or counties to check the sufficiency of the signatures on such petition.

Effective Date: 11-19-1971 .