Cooperative agreements concerning water and sewerage between political subdivisions in certain counties

1. In any county having a population of 100,000 or more, any county, city, town, water district, sewer or sanitation district or other political subdivision of the State authorized by law to acquire, operate and maintain water or sewage facilities, or both, or to improve a governmental service in connection therewith, may contract with one or more of these political subdivisions if the contract is authorized by each party thereto with the approval of its legislative body or other authority having the power to enter into or approve the contract.

2. Any such contract must set forth fully the purposes, powers, rights, obligations and responsibilities, financial and otherwise, of the contracting parties.

3. The contract may: (a) Include, among other things, the renting of machinery and equipment, mobile or otherwise. (b) Provide for the payment for water facilities, sewer facilities, lands, rights in land and water rights sold, leased or otherwise alienated, the payment to be made within a period of time not exceeding 30 years from the date of the contract from the rates, fees, tolls or charges derived from the operation of the water or sewer facilities, or both, upon such terms and conditions as may be specified in the contract, without the obligation being authorized by any qualified electors of any political subdivision which is a party to the contract.

4. The equipment and employees of any such political subdivision, while engaged in performing any governmental service, activity or undertaking under the contract, have and retain all the rights, privileges and immunities of, and shall be deemed to be engaged in the service and employment of, that political subdivision, notwithstanding that the governmental service, activity or undertaking is being performed in or for another political subdivision.

5. The powers conferred by this section are in addition and supplemental to, and not in substitution for, and the limitations imposed by this section do not affect the powers conferred by, any other law. No part of this section repeals or affects any other law or any part thereof, it being intended that this section provide a separate method of accomplishing its objectives, and not an exclusive one.

6. This section, being necessary to secure and preserve the public health, safety and convenience and welfare, must be liberally construed to effect its purpose.