Whenever a petition as provided in the preceding section is filed with the county clerk, he shall thereupon give notice to the county commissioners of the filing and pendency of said petition, whereupon, if the petition proposes the creation of a water district, the county commissioners shall immediately determine from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board whether or not there is water available to adequately serve the proposed district, and the county commissioners shall forthwith enter their order setting a public hearing upon said petition for a day certain and directing the county clerk to give notice of said hearing by legal publication for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper published in each county containing lands embraced within the boundaries of the proposed district. Said newspapers must have a general circulation in the county of publication. Provided, however, if there is a county in which there is no newspaper of general circulation published, notice of such hearing shall be given by posting in five public places within said county, one of which shall be the county courthouse. Such notice shall contain: a brief and concise statement describing the purpose of such hearing; a description of the territory to be embraced within said district; a notice to all persons residing or owning property and incorporated municipalities within the proposed district that they may appear upon the date and at the time and place of said hearing to show cause, if any there be, why said petition should not be granted; and a notice to all rural residents of the proposed district that, if said district shall be ordered created, an organizational meeting to elect a board of directors and officers and to adopt bylaws will be held immediately following the entry of the order creating said district. In addition, the county clerk shall, at least ten (10) days before the date fixed for said hearing, give or send by registered or certified mail notice thereof to each of the petitioners.

Added by Laws 1972, c. 254, § 5. Amended by Laws 1975, c. 170, § 5, emerg. eff. May 21, 1975.