(a) General rule.--The municipal corporations joining in the construction or acquisition and maintenance of a water system may, by ordinance, provide for the appointment of a joint commission of a water system in order to facilitate the construction, operation and maintenance of the water system and to secure preliminary surveys and estimates.

(b) Function.--The joint commission shall act generally as the advisory and administrative agency in the construction of the improvement and its subsequent operation and maintenance.

(c) Composition.--The joint commission shall be composed of one representative from each of the joining municipal corporations.

(d) Term of members.--The members of the joint commission shall serve for terms of six years each from the dates of their respective appointments and until their successors are appointed.

(e) Officers.--The joint commission shall organize by the election of a chair, secretary and treasurer. The secretary and treasurer may be the same person.

(f) Ordinance provisions.--The municipal corporations may, in the ordinances creating the joint commission, authorize it to appoint an engineer, a solicitor and other assistants as are deemed necessary and agree to share the compensation for attending its meetings as shall be fixed in the budget prepared by the commission and submitted to and adopted by the joining municipal corporations.

(g) Compensation limitation and expenses.--The budget item providing for the compensation to the members for attending meetings shall not exceed $500 per year, but members shall be entitled to actual expenses to be paid by the respective municipal corporations that the members represent. The fee for each attendance at meetings shall be stipulated, and no member shall be paid a fee for any meeting the member does not attend.