§ 120. Contracts for purification of water and sewerage. The local
authorities of the several counties, cities, towns and villages of the
state having charge of the supply of water and the care of sewerage in
their respective localities, are hereby authorized, on behalf of their
counties, cities, towns and villages, respectively, to enter into
contracts with the owners of any process or apparatus for the
purification of water and sewerage whether protected by patents or not,
and either contract for the use of apparatus and process for a term of
years or for the purchase of the same, as to them shall seem advisable.
It shall be lawful for any two or more of such municipalities in this
state, without regard to the form of their incorporation, including
towns or sewer districts of towns, to jointly construct, provide,
maintain and operate a comprehensive system of sewerage including trunk
lines and laterals, or a system of conveying or conducting sewerage from
said municipalities from a point or points to be agreed upon to a common
destination or disposal plant or plants, and to construct, maintain and
operate within or without the said municipalities or any of them one or
more outlet or trunk sewers, plants, works or stations for the
treatment, disposal, or rendering of sewerage, or any such municipality
or any such municipalities may jointly or severally contract for the
construction for it or them of any such system, extension or part
thereof, including any such sewers, plants, works or stations, and agree
to pay annually, semi-annually or quarterly for the use or possession
thereof, by way of permanent rental reserved therefor; or such lawful
authorities of the respective municipalities may jointly or severally
contract with any person, persons or corporation or with other
municipalities or sewage districts for the removal of sewage within the
boundaries of such local government, upon such reasonable terms as they
may agree upon. And to that end the governing bodies or boards of any
two or more municipalities, including sewer districts of a town,
authorized by law to have charge of sewer systems established or to be
established in said municipalities, or sewer districts of a town,
respectively, may unite and jointly cause to be made at their joint
expense (each district bearing a part of the expense in proportion to
the assessed valuation of real estate in such district, or on such other
basis or division as may be jointly agreed upon) by competent engineers,
mechanics and others, surveys, maps, plans, reports and estimates of
proposed works and improvements relating to such contemplated public
improvement or works authorized by this act, which such municipalities
may desire to jointly provide, maintain, operate or lease under the
authority conferred by this act, and for such purpose they may determine
upon the final route and plan for the building or construction of such
sewerage system and for the making of such surveys, maps, plans, reports
and estimates as provided in this section. It shall be lawful for the
officers and agents of such municipalities to enter at all times upon
any lands or waters for the purpose of exploring, surveying, and laying
out the route of such sewerage system.