The town council shall have the following powers:
(1)
To own, operate and maintain electric light and gas works, either within or without the corporate limits of the town and to supply electricity and gas, whether the same be generated or purchased by said town, to its customers and consumers, both within and without the corporate limits of the said town, at such price and upon such terms as it may prescribe, and to that end it may contract for and purchase electricity and gas from the owners thereof upon such terms as it may deem expedient.
(2)
To own, operate and maintain water works and to acquire in any lawful manner in any county of the state, such water, lands, property rights and riparian rights as the council of the town may deem necessary for the purposes of providing an adequate water supply to the town and piping and conducting the same; to lay, erect and maintain all necessary mains and sewer lines, either within or without the corporate limits of the town, and to require abutting property owners within such corporate limits of the town to connect therewith for the distribution of water to its customers and consumers within the corporate limits of town and to charge and collect water rents therefore; to erect and maintain all necessary dams, pumping stations and other works in connection therewith; to make reasonable rules and regulations promoting the purity of its water supply and for protecting the same from pollution; and for this purpose to exercise full police powers and sanitary patrol over the land comprised within the limits of the watershed, tributary to any such water supply wherever such lands may be located in this state; to impose and enforce adequate penalties for the violation of any such rules and regulations; and to prevent by injunction any pollution or threatened pollution of such water supply and any and all acts likely to impair the purity thereof, and to carry out the powers herein granted, the town may exercise within the state all powers of eminent domain provided by the laws of this state.
(3)
To establish, construct and maintain sanitary sewers, sewer lines and systems, and to require abutting property owners to connect therewith; to establish, construct, maintain and operate sewage disposal plants, and to acquire by condemnation or otherwise within or without the town limits, all land, rights-of-way, riparian and other rights and easements necessary for said purposes and to charge and assess and collect reasonable fees, rentals, assessments of costs of service for connection with and using the same.
(4)
To charge and collect fees for permits to use public facilities and for public services and privileges; and to have the right and power to charge for any service rendered or convenience furnished to those residing without the corporate limits different from the rates charged for similar services or conveniences to those residing within the corporate limits.
(5)
To collect and dispose of sewage, offal, ashes, garbage, carcasses of dead animals and other refuse, and make reasonable charges therefore; to acquire and operate reduction or any other plants for utilization and disposal of such material; to contract for or regulate the collection and disposal thereof; and to require the collection and disposal thereof, and to acquire land within or without the town for said purpose.
(6)
To establish, impose and enforce the collection of water and sewage rates, and rates and charges for public utilities or other services, products or conveniences, operated, rented or furnished by the town and to assess or cause to be assessed, after reasonable notice to the owner or owners, water and sewage rates and charge directly against the owner or owners of the building or against the proper tenant or tenants; and may by ordinance require a deposit of such reasonable amount as it may prescribe before furnishing such service either to owner or tenant.
(7)
To grant franchises for public utilities in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and general laws; provided however, the town shall at any time have the power to construct, own, operate, manage, sell, encumber or otherwise dispose of either within or without the town, any and all public utilities for the town, and to sell the services therefore, if permitted by any existing franchise; provided that such public utilities are primarily for the purpose of serving the town.
(Acts 1954, c. 477)