County boards must hold a hearing on a proposed benefited water district petition when enough eligible electors sign, and the section limits where water service may be provided near a city.
1. The board of supervisors of any county shall, on the petition of twenty-five percent or more of the eligible electors residing in any proposed benefited water district, grant a hearing relative to the establishment of the proposed water district. The petition shall set out the following and any other pertinent facts: a. The need of a public water supply. b. The approximate district to be served. c. The approximate number of families in the district. d. The proposed source of supply. e. The type of service desired, whether domestic only or for fire protection and other uses. 2. The board of supervisors may, at its option, require a bond of the petitioners as provided in section 468.9. 3. A benefited water district located wholly within the corporate limits of a city is not subject to the provisions of this chapter. 4. Water services, other than water services provided as of April 1, 1987, shall not be provided within two miles of the limits of a city except as provided in this section. 5. A benefited water district established under this chapter may give notice of intent to provide water service to a new area within two miles of a city by submitting a water plan to the city. The plan is only required to indicate the area within two miles of the city which the benefited water district intends to serve. If the city fails to respond to the benefited water district’s plan within ninety days of receipt of the plan, the benefited water district may provide service in the area designated in the plan. The city may inform the benefited water district within ninety days of receipt of the plan that the city requires additional time or information to study the question of providing water service outside the limits of the city. If additional time or information is required, the city shall respond to the benefited water district’s plan within one hundred eighty days of receipt of the plan. In responding to the plan, the city may waive its right to provide water service within the areas designated for service by the benefited water district, or the city may reserve the right to provide water service in some or all of the areas which the benefited water district intends to serve. If the city reserves the right to provide water service within some or all of the areas which the benefited water district intends to serve, the city shall provide service within four years of receipt of the plan. This section does not preclude a city from providing water service in an area which is annexed by the city. [C24, 27, 31, 35, §5523; C39, §5526.01; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §357.1] 87 Acts, ch 109, §1; 92 Acts, ch 1015, §1, 2; 92 Acts, ch 1204, §9 C2001, §357.1A 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §180 Referred to in §357.1B, 499.5