This chapter may be cited as the “water rights management and acquisition fund.”
(Ord. 2006-09 § 1)
The fund shall be funded primarily by a $0.11 per billing unit fee added to each customer’s monthly water bill. The fund shall be divided internally into two subparts. One part shall be used for acquisition costs and one part shall be used for management costs.
(Ord. 2006-09 § 1)
The fee for water rights acquisition costs shall be $0.06 per billing unit. A billing unit is every 1,000 gallons. Expenditures from this part of the fund shall be made for the following purposes:
A. 
Purchase or lease of water rights or water allotments;
B. 
Purchase or lease of land for water rights or water allotments; and
C. 
Payments for annual Elephant Butte Irrigation District water assessments and for administrative expenses to Elephant Butte Irrigation District and the Office of the State Engineer, such as application fees.
(Ord. 2006-09 § 1)
The fee for the water rights management costs shall be $0.05 per billing unit. A billing unit is every 1,000 gallons. Expenditures from this part of the fund shall be made for the following purposes:
A. 
Legal opinions regarding suitability of water rights or water allotments for purchase or lease;
B. 
Legal expenses related to any litigation that may affect the ability of the town to acquire, use or retain water rights or water allotments; and
C. 
Engineering or technical expenses related to any litigation that might affect the ability of the town to acquire, use or retain water rights or water allotments.
(Ord. 2006-09 § 1)