Preliminary report by county commissioners with respect to creation of proposed district.

Upon receipt of a petition duly signed by not less than 25 qualified electors who are also freeholders residing within an area proposed to be incorporated into a water and sewer district pursuant to this law and describing in general terms the proposed boundaries of such proposed district, the board of county commissioners if it shall deem it necessary and advisable to create and establish such proposed district for the purpose of constructing, establishing or acquiring a water system or a sewer system or both in and for such district (herein called “improvements”), shall first cause a preliminary report to be made which such report together with any other relevant or pertinent matters, shall include at least the following:

(1) A general description of the proposed improvements to be made in such district.

(2) A general estimate of the cost of the proposed improvements.

(3) The present condition of water and sewer facilities in the area comprising such proposed district.

(4) Findings with respect to the necessity or reasonableness of the inclusion of lands proposed to be included within the district with reference to the benefits to be derived or able to be derived by such included lands from such proposed improvements, and the necessity or reasonableness of the exclusion of lands adjacent to or within such proposed district with reference to such benefits.

(5) For the construction of a new proposed central sewerage system or the extension of an existing sewerage system that was not previously approved, the report shall include a study that includes the available information from the Department of Environmental Protection on the history of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems currently in use in the area and a comparison of the projected costs to the owner of a typical lot or parcel of connecting to and using the proposed sewerage system versus installing, operating, and properly maintaining an onsite sewage treatment and disposal system that is approved by the Department of Environmental Protection and that provides for the comparable level of environmental and health protection as the proposed central sewerage system; consideration of the local authority’s obligations or reasonably anticipated obligations for water body cleanup and protection under state or federal programs, including requirements for water bodies listed under s. 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, Pub. L. No. 92-500, 33 U.S.C. ss. 1251 et seq.; and other factors deemed relevant by the local authority.

Such report shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the circuit court and shall be open for the inspection of any taxpayer, property owner, qualified elector or any other interested or affected person.