A district may enter into a contract with any person, corporation, or other entity, public or private, that owns a water system located in the district to manage, operate, maintain, or repair the water system. Such a contract may be entered into only if the general comprehensive plan of the district reflects the water system that is to be so managed, operated, maintained, or repaired.

A district shall be liable to provide the services provided in such a contract only if the required contractual payments are made to the district, and such payments shall be secured by a lien on the property served by the water system to the same extent that rates and charges imposed by the district constitute liens on the property served by the district. The responsibility for all costs incurred by the water system in complying with water quality laws, regulations, and standards shall be solely that of the water system and not the district, except to the extent payments have been made to the district for the costs of such compliance.

A district periodically may transfer to another account surplus moneys that may accumulate in an account established by the district to receive payments for the provision of services for such a water system.

Part headings not law—Effective date—1996 c 230: See notes following RCW 57.02.001.