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<section article="gen" article_name="Environment" number="9-946" title_number="9" title_name="Water, Ice, and Sanitary Facilities" subtitle_number="9" subtitle_name="Water and Sewer Authorities">
  <level label="a">
    <text>An authority may set, charge, and collect rates, fees, and charges in connection with each of its projects to provide funds that, with any other available funds, are sufficient at all times:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>To pay:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The expenses of the authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The cost of construction, extension, repair, improvement, maintenance, and operation of each facility and property of the authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The cost of maintenance, repair, and operation of each project for which the authority issued bonds under this subtitle, including the creation of reserves for the maintenance, repair, operation, replacement, depreciation, and necessary extensions of the project; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The principal of and interest on all bonds of the authority whenever due and payable, including the creation of reserves to provide a margin of safety; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>To fulfill the terms of any agreement that is made with:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A purchaser or holder of any bond of the authority;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A political subdivision that is incorporated or is a member of the authority; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A political subdivision that is or will be served by the authority.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An authority may:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Set rates, fees, and charges for the services and facilities of its water system that are sufficient to pay:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The cost of maintenance, repair, and operation of its sewerage system; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The principal of and interest on bonds that the authority issues for its sewerage system; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Subject to prior pledges of surplus revenue, pledge any surplus revenue of its water system for the purposes stated in item (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>An authority may base rates, fees, and charges for the services and facilities of its sewerage system on:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The quantity of water used;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The amount of the water bill;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The number and size of sewer connections;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>The number and kind of plumbing fixtures in use in the premises that are connected with the sewerage system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>The number or average number of individuals who reside in, work in, or are otherwise connected with the premises that are connected with the sewerage system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>The type or character of the premises that are connected with the sewerage system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vii">
        <text>Any other factor that affects the use of the facilities furnished; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="viii">
        <text>Any combination of these factors.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If any premises obtain all or part of their water from a source other than a public water system, an authority may charge the premises for sewerage services:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>By gauging or metering; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>In any other manner that the authority approves.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>An authority may base rates, fees, and charges for any of its other services and facilities on any factor that the authority determines to be reasonable and proper.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The rates, fees, and charges of an authority shall be:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Reasonable;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Uniform by class; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Determined solely by the authority.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Any person who questions whether the rates, fees, or charges of an authority are reasonable or uniform may sue the authority:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>In the circuit court for the county in which the project is located; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the project is located in 2 or more counties, in the circuit court for the county in which the principal office of the project is located.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The circuit court has exclusive jurisdiction to determine the reasonableness and uniformity of the rates, fees, and other charges of an authority.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
