65 ILCS 5/ Illinois Municipal Code.

(65 ILCS 5/11-137-1) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-137-1)

Sec. 11-137-1. To enable municipalities to promote and procure the construction and installation of waterworks and sewerage systems when it becomes necessary for public health and welfare or for better sanitary conditions of a municipality, each municipality may contract with any person for a supply of water for public use, and for sewerage for drainage and sanitary purposes of the municipality, for a period not exceeding 30 years. Any contract that is entered into by a municipality and pledged to secure the bonds issued to construct any waterworks or sewerage system shall enure at all times and under all conditions to the benefit of the holders of any of the bonds so issued and for the payment of those bonds.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 576.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-137-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-137-2)

Sec. 11-137-2. In all municipalities where any person has constructed a waterworks or sewerage system, or both, the municipality may purchase or lease that waterworks or sewerage system, or both, from the owners thereof, subject to the provisions of this Division 137.

Before such a lease or purchase is binding upon the municipality, the corporate authorities shall pass an ordinance authorizing the municipality to lease or purchase that waterworks or sewerage system, or both, and shall include in the ordinance the terms, as near as practicable, upon which the lease or purchase shall be made. The ordinance shall be published at least once, within 10 days after passage, in one or more newspapers published in the municipality, or, if no newspaper is published therein, then in one or more newspapers with a general circulation within the municipality. In municipalities with less than 500 population in which no newspaper is published, publication may instead be made by posting a notice in 3 prominent places within the municipality.

The publication or posting of the ordinance shall be accompanied by a notice of (1) the specific number of voters required to sign a petition requesting the question of authorizing the lease or purchase of a waterworks or sewerage system to be submitted to the electors; (2) the time in which such petition must be filed; and (3) the date of the prospective referendum. The municipal clerk shall provide a petition form to any individual requesting one.

If no petition is presented to the corporate authorities as hereinafter provided, within 30 days after the ordinance is so published and posted, the corporate authorities may consummate the lease or purchase of that waterworks or sewerage system, or both, as provided in the ordinance. If within 30 days after the first publication of the ordinance a petition is filed with the municipal clerk signed by electors of the municipality numbering 10% or more of the number of registered voters in the municipality, asking that the question of leasing or purchasing that waterworks or sewerage system, or both, as provided in the ordinance, be submitted to a vote, the clerk shall certify the proposition and the corporate authorities shall designate an election at which the question shall be submitted. If a majority of the votes cast on the question are in favor thereof, the corporate authorities may complete the lease or purchase, but if a majority of the votes cast on the question are unfavorable, no further action shall be taken by the municipality for a period of not less than 6 months. Thereafter, the same or another question may be submitted as before.

(Source: P.A. 87-767.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-137-3) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-137-3)

Sec. 11-137-3. If any municipality is authorized to purchase a waterworks or sewerage system, or both, as provided in Section 11-137-2, and if the system is pledged to secure the payment of bonds, or other written evidences of indebtedness, by a mortgage or trust deed, the corporate authorities of the municipality may direct the municipal clerk or treasurer, by a motion or resolution, to enter the bonds, or the other written evidences of indebtedness on the records of the municipality as an indebtedness against the waterworks or sewerage system only. The corporate authorities shall have all the revenue derived from the operation of the system, and all rents due and payable to the former owners for use of the water and sewerage facilities, and pledged for the payment of the indebtedness, set apart in a separate fund for the payment of the indebtedness as it becomes due and payable, provided the system can be operated and maintained from the current funds of the municipality appropriated therefor.

Nothing contained in this Division 137 affects any lien or renders void any bond, mortgage, or trust deed securing any indebtedness upon the system, or any franchise under which the system is operated, or any contract executed by any person as owner for the construction and installation of the waterworks or sewerage system, or both, prior to the transfer of the system to the municipality as provided in this Division 137. If the municipality neglects or fails to pay the indebtedness as it falls due and if any mortgage or trust deed is foreclosed at the instance of bona fide holders of unpaid bonds or other written evidences of indebtedness, the mortgagee or trustee for those bona fide holders shall be re-invested with all former rights which existed in their behalf by virtue of the franchise and contract which were granted by the municipality, and which were pledged.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 576.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-137-4) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-137-4)

Sec. 11-137-4. Such municipalities may borrow money and levy and collect a general tax, in the same manner as other municipal taxes may be levied and collected, to procure funds to lease or purchase and maintain such a waterworks or sewerage system, or both, and to pay any existing indebtedness thereon. They may issue their bonds to procure funds to purchase such a system or systems and to pay off the existing bonds or indebtedness thereon, at the time of the purchase or at any time thereafter that the financial condition of the municipality will permit. Any bonds issued under this Section as limited bonds as defined in Section 3 of the Local Government Debt Reform Act shall comply with the requirements of the Bond Issue Notification Act.

If an appropriation has been made therefor, such a municipality may constitute and make any bond which falls due during the current year, and which is secured by a mortgage or trust deed on such a system or systems, and which was issued by any person to procure funds to construct the system or systems, a bond of the municipality for that year and levy and collect a tax to pay the appropriation. However, this action shall not increase the bonded indebtedness of the municipality in excess of the constitutional limitation for the year for which this tax is to be levied and collected.

(Source: P.A. 89-655, eff. 1-1-97.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-137-5) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-137-5)

Sec. 11-137-5. A municipality may contract with any person for a supply of water for public use for a period not exceeding 30 years.

A municipality so contracting may pay for the water so supplied by general taxation, or out of the rents paid by consumers for the water supplied to them, or out of any fund otherwise available for that purpose, or by any combination of any of these means.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 576.)

(65 ILCS 5/Art. 11 Div. 138 heading) DIVISION 138. LOCATING SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY OUTSIDE OF MUNICIPALITIES

(65 ILCS 5/11-138-1) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-138-1)

Sec. 11-138-1. Any water company organized under the laws of this state for the purpose of supplying any municipality or the inhabitants thereof with water, may locate its source of supply at, or change its source of supply to, a point not more than 20 miles beyond the corporate limits of the municipality. Such company may enter upon any land and take and damage private property beyond those corporate limits, (1) for the construction, maintenance, and operation of a line or lines of water-pipe to the source of supply, (2) for the necessary pumping stations, reservoirs, and other appurtenances, and (3) for the protection of all reservoirs, submerged land, and source of supply from contamination, pollution, or damage from any cause whatsoever.

Such a company may construct, maintain, and operate beyond those corporate limits such a line or lines of water-pipe across or under any railroad right-of-way, and in and under any public or private road, highway, street, alley, or public ground, or across or under any of the waters within this state, subject, however, to these conditions: (1) such a line or lines of water-pipe shall not interfere with any railroad, or with any sewer, gas pipes, water-pipes, or other conduit, already laid in or under any public or private road, highway, street, alley, or public ground by public authority; (2) such a company, in the construction and repair of such a line or lines of water-pipe, shall restore any public or private road, highway, street, alley, or public ground that is damaged to the same condition as before, and shall not unnecessarily interfere with the public use of the navigation of any of the specified waters; and (3) the laying of the water-pipes and construction of the other works shall be done under such reasonable regulations as the corporate authorities of any township or municipality wherein that work is done may prescribe.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 576.)

(65 ILCS 5/11-138-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 11-138-2)

Sec. 11-138-2. Whenever it is necessary for the construction, maintenance, and operation of such a line or lines of water-pipe, pumping stations, reservoirs, other appurtenances, or for the protection of reservoirs, submerged land, and the source of supply from contamination, pollution, or damage from any cause, to take or damage private property adjacent to these improvements, that property may be taken or damaged, and the compensation therefor may be ascertained and paid in the manner which may be then provided by law for the exercise of the right of eminent domain.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 576.)