(1) “Applicant” means two (2) or more persons or a qualified corporation seeking to form or convert to a water authority for one (1) or more allowed purposes;
(2) “Application” means all documents submitted by the applicant to the Director of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission as required in 4 CAR §§ 1-201 and 1-301;
(3) “Certificate of Existence” means the document issued by the Director of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission which brings a water authority into existence;
(4) “Commission” means the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission;
(5) “Director” means the Director/Ex-Officio Secretary of the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission;
(6) “Qualified corporation” means any nonprofit corporation originally formed pursuant to the Arkansas Nonprofit Corporation Act of 1993, codified at § 4-28-201 et seq., or a predecessor statute formed for one (1) or more of the allowed purposes;
(7) “Service area” means a specific region for which applicant has received water plan compliance approval to provide water or sewer service pursuant to the Water Plan Compliance Review Procedures, 15 CAR pt. 22;
(8) “Users” means members of the public and commercial, industrial, and other users who receive services directly from a water authority;
(9) “Water authority” means a public body politic and governmental entity organized pursuant to the Water Authority Act, Arkansas Code § 4-35-101 et seq.; and
(10) “Water plan approval”, “water plan compliance”, or “water plan certification” means authorization from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission to construct, operate, manage, or maintain a water development project.