§ 46-15.3-24. Financing water supply system management. (a) The cost of water supply system management planning and water supply system management as required by this chapter shall be financed as follows:

(1) The cost of preparing and maintaining water supply system management plans as required by § 46-15.3-5.1(A)(1) shall be paid by the municipality from any funds made available under chapter 22.2 of title 45 or from any other funds used to prepare, maintain, and amend local comprehensive plans. Expenses incurred in conducting these activities are exempt from reimbursement as a state mandate under §§ 45-13-6 through 45-13-10;

(2) The cost of preparing and maintaining water supply system management plans and carrying out water supply system management programs as required by § 46-15.3-5.1(A)(2), shall be paid from charges against water users. Such charges shall be limited to those necessary and reasonable to undertake the actions required by this chapter, and shall be included in bills rendered in accordance with § 46-15.3-21(b);

(b) A public or private utility, under the jurisdiction of the public utilities commission, providing water service may file with the public utilities commission proposed rates and charges, including emergency rate relief, so as to provide for the necessary and reasonable costs of carrying out the requirements of this chapter. The public utilities commission shall hear and decide such requests as provided by title 39, and shall allow adjustments in rates necessary to offset necessary and reasonable reductions in revenues resulting from implementation of a water supply system management program;

(c) Water utilities will be operated as financially self-supporting agencies and shall maintain revenue levels sufficient to cover all fixed and variable capital and operating costs of conservation, use, management, protection, development and other costs of water supply and may be allowed a reasonable profit.

History of Section. (P.L. 1997, ch. 360, § 4; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 51.)