58:5-40. Annual budgets and apportionment of expenses

(a) A commission shall cause to be prepared, not later than December 31 of each year, a separate annual budget for the operating expenses of each water supply system and water transmission facility which it may operate pursuant to the original act or to the provisions of this act. The commission shall thereupon fix a time and place for a hearing on each of the said budgets. Notice of each hearing, together with a copy of each of the said budgets, shall be sent to the participants and contracting municipalities of all water supply systems and water transmission facilities administrated by or under the control of such commission at least 10 days before the date fixed for the hearing by mailing a copy of the same to the officer of the board or body having charge of the water supply of said municipality. The commission shall approve the budget not later than 15 days after the beginning of the municipal budget year. Copies thereof shall be filed with the respective municipal officials within 5 days after approval.

(b)1. The operating expenses of a water supply system operated by a commission pursuant to the original act shall be estimated in advance each year and be apportioned among participants in proportion to the amounts of water contracted to be used by each. Payment shall be made to the commission in advance upon request.

2. At the end of each year the commission shall apportion the actual cost of the operation of such system which it operates pursuant to the original act among participants upon the basis of the actual water consumed by each municipality, but such amount shall be in no event less than the quantity contracted for. In apportioning such cost, no municipality shall be charged with any item of interest or rental upon, or the cost of operation of, any part of a water supply system which is not used in supplying water to the municipality. Each participant and contracting municipality shall be charged with the amount so apportioned and credited with any amount previously paid on account of the estimated operating expenses for such year.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, a commission may apportion to and among participants and contracting municipalities as part of the operating expenses of a project or water supply system in which they have an interest a portion of the commission's general expenses not wholly or directly attributable to the operation or maintenance of any particular project or water supply system. Such allocation shall be fair and equitable taking into account the amounts of direct cost of operating and maintaining, or the volume of water supplied or allocated by or to, particular projects and water supply systems and such other factors as may reasonably be considered for the purpose of such apportionment. Except as provided in this section, a commission shall not use any moneys received by it for use in connection with a particular water supply system or project to pay any costs or expenses incurred by it in connection with any other water supply system or project.

L.1962, c. 167, s. 10. Amended by L.1962, c. 184, s. 2.