2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 32 - SPECIAL DISTRICTS (§§ 32-1-101 — 32-22-117) › WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICTS (§§ 32-4-101 — 32-4-547) › Article 4 - WATER AND SANITATION DISTRICTS (§§ 32-4-101 — 32-4-547) › Part 4 - METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICTS (§§ 32-4-401 — 32-4-416) › Section 32-4-404 - Organization

(1)
A metropolitan water district shall be organized in the following manner:
(a)
The governing body of any municipality may enact an ordinance of a municipal corporation, and if other government subdivision a resolution, declaring that the public convenience and necessity require the organization of a metropolitan water district, which ordinance or resolution shall set forth the names of the municipalities to be in the proposed district and the name of the proposed district and boundary lines thereof, which boundaries shall be effective only for the six-month period under section
32-4-408(5)
, and shall in no way limit future boundaries of the district as provided in this part 4.
(b)
Within ninety days after receipt of a copy of such ordinance from the initiating governing body, the governing body of any municipality which is named in the ordinance providing for the proposed district desiring to become a part of the district shall enact a similar ordinance, setting forth the same municipalities, name, and boundary.
(c)
Before final reading and enactment of such an ordinance, the governing body of each such municipality shall hold a public hearing thereon, notice of which shall be given by publication in at least one newspaper of general circulation within such city at least five days before the hearing. Each governing body in determining whether to enact the ordinance and become a part of the proposed district shall consider the existing water supply of said municipality and its adequacy or inadequacy for the present and future needs of such municipality and future additions thereto. Determination as to need by the governing body shall be final and conclusive.
(d)
The clerk of each governing body, upon the taking effect of such ordinance, shall forthwith transmit a certified copy thereof to the governing body of each other municipality named in the original ordinance to be a part of the proposed district and to the division of local government in the department of local affairs.
(e)
The director of the division of local government, upon a receipt of a copy of such ordinance from the governing body of each municipality named in the original ordinance to be a part of the proposed district, shall forthwith issue a certificate reciting that the district named in the ordinance has been duly organized according to the laws of the state of Colorado and setting forth the names of the municipalities which have certified an ordinance to his office as above provided. The organization of any district shall be deemed effective upon the date of issuance of such certificate, and the validity of the organization of any such district shall be incontestable in any suit or proceeding which has not been commenced within three months from such date. The director of said division shall forthwith transmit to the governing body of each municipality which has certified an adopting ordinance as provided in this section a copy of such certificate, and the clerk of each such governing body shall forthwith record such copy in the offices of the clerk and recorder of the county or counties in which the municipality is wholly or partly located. But, in no event shall the organization of any metropolitan water district be deemed effective nor shall the director of said division issue a certificate as above provided unless more than one-half of the municipalities named in the initiating ordinance have certified an ordinance to the director of said division as provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection (1).
(f)
Only such municipalities as do enact an ordinance to become a part of the district shall be joined therein.
L. 55: p. 581, § 4. CRS 53: § 89-13-4. C.R.S. 1963: § 89-13-4. L. 76: (1)(d) and (1)(e) amended, p. 598, § 12, effective July 1.