Section 28. (a) The division is hereby authorized, with the approval of the water resources commission, to propose water pollution abatement districts consisting of one or more cities or towns, or designated parts thereof, for the purposes set forth in section thirty. The district so proposed shall be deemed to be established after approval by the city or town, or designated parts thereof, proposed for inclusion in the district or upon the mandatory formation of the district in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b).
(b) Within ninety days of receipt by any city council of a proposal by the division, approved by the commission, that a water pollution abatement district which includes such city be established, said city council shall consider said proposal and indicate its approval or disapproval by voting by yeas and nays upon a question in substantially the following form:—“Shall there be established a water pollution abatement district as recommended by the division of water pollution control and approved by the water resources commission, to include the city (cities) of (herein name of city or cities so proposed for inclusion) and the town (towns) of (herein name of town or towns proposed for inclusion in part) and the construction, acquisition, extension, improvement, maintenance and operation of a system of water pollution abatement facilities by the said district in accordance with the provisions of chapter twenty-one of the General Laws?” Within ninety days of receipt by the selectmen of any town of a proposal by the division, approved by the commission, that a water pollution abatement district which includes such town or a part of such town be established, said selectmen shall cause to be presented for determination by vote, with printed ballots at an annual town meeting or a special town meeting called for the purpose, the question of approving said proposal, which question shall be in substantially the form set forth above. If the proposed district includes a part or parts of a town, the said selectmen shall call a special meeting for the purpose of approving the proposal at which only registered voters resident in that part or parts of the town proposed to be included in the district may vote. The warrant for such meeting shall be signed by at least a majority of the selectmen of the town and be posted in not less than two public places in said part or parts of the town at least seven days before the day of the meeting and the moderator of the town shall preside at such meeting and the town clerk shall keep the records thereof. Whenever within said ninety days each city and town or part thereof proposed for inclusion in said district shall have indicated its approval of the proposed district by vote in the affirmative on said question in the manner described in this subsection, the district shall be deemed to be established.
In the event that the city or town or designated parts thereof proposed by the division for inclusion in a district fails to vote in the affirmative on said question within the ninety day period, the director shall order a hearing under the provisions of chapter thirty A. Upon completion of said hearing, the director may, upon finding that the creation of said district is necessary for the prompt and efficient abatement of water pollution, and with the approval of the water resources commission, declare the mandatory formation of the district.
(c) An established district may be dissolved only by act of the general court. The division, with the approval of the commission, may from time to time propose the enlargement of a district or the consolidation of two or more districts, subject to approval by the general court or approval in the manner provided in subsection (b).
In the event that the enlargement or consolidation involves a district formed mandatorily as provided in subsection (b), the director shall order a hearing under the provisions of chapter thirty A. Upon completion of the hearing, the director may, upon finding that the formation of said district is necessary for the prompt and efficient abatement of water pollution, and with the approval of the water resources commission, declare the enlargement or consolidation on the part of such district.
(d) If the division deems water pollution abatement necessary, but the benefits of such abatement are likely to be increased, or its costs to the commonwealth reduced by joint action with another state or states contiguous to the commonwealth, it shall report said fact to the water resources commission which shall consult with the appropriate agency of such other state or states on such matters and shall make recommendations to the general court in relation thereto.
(e) The provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, of sections twenty-nine, thirty, thirty-two, thirty-five and thirty-six shall apply only to a district or district commission created pursuant to this section, and to any city, town or portion thereof which is a member of such district.
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