(a) The authority organized or operating pursuant to this part, in addition to all other powers now or hereafter granted by law, shall have the following powers and rights:

(1) To borrow money for use for any of its corporate purposes.

(2) To sell, transfer, convey, grant options to purchase, or lease all or any part of its system or systems for such consideration and on such terms as it shall deem advisable and in the best interest of the authority.

(3) To consent and agree to the assignment or payment of any income received from the investment of any moneys or funds of the authority to any other public corporation or public entity, including, without limitation, the county or the State of Alabama.

(4) To loan or advance its funds to any person at such, if any, interest as it shall determine, for the purpose of financing the construction of a system or any part thereof.

(5) To contract with others for the construction of all or any part of a system or systems or any part thereof.

(b) The moneys held in any special fund established by the authority may be invested in any direct obligations of the United States of America, the obligations of any agency of the United States of America, interest bearing bank deposits, or in any securities the payment of the principal of and interest on which is fully secured by direct obligations of the United States of America.

(c) The authority shall be under no obligation to render service to the citizens of any municipality which shall not have granted the authority and those claiming under it a franchise for any system of the authority within such municipality without payment of any fee, charge, or cost other than the cost of publication of the ordinance granting the franchise.

(d) Any transaction to which the authority or the county is a party shall be exempt from any tax levied pursuant to Article 4, commencing with Section 40-12-220, of Chapter 12 of Title 40, or any tax levied in substitution therefor or in lieu thereof.

(e) Any water system or any part thereof leased or subleased to, or operated or managed by, the authority or county, whether the lease or sublease be by the authority or any private party, including, without limitation, corporations or partnerships, shall be exempt from all state, county, and other taxes, including, without limitation, ad valorem taxes, regardless of the entity that shall hold the legal title to such system or facility or any part thereof or any remainder or reversionary interest therein.

(f) The county may acquire by lease or sublease any property comprising all or any part of a water system from the authority or from any vendee or lessee or sublessee of the authority, or may manage or operate the same, having all rights of the authority with respect thereto, upon mutual consent of the parties.

(g) The authority and all contracts made by it shall be exempt from the laws of the State of Alabama requiring competitive bids for any contract to be entered into by municipalities or public corporations authorized by them, including, but without limitation to, Article 3, commencing with Section 41-16-50, of Chapter 16 of Title 41.