1. (1) The board of trustees of a conservancy district incorporated under this Act may acquire, by gift, purchase, or lease, land or any of the facilities enumerated below, and may construct, develop, operate, extend, and improve such facilities:
2. (a) Dams and reservoirs for water storage, water wells, water purification works, pumping stations, conduits, pipe lines, regulating works, and all appurtenances required for the production and delivery of adequate and pure water to incorporated cities and villages, corporations, and persons in unincorporated areas within or without the borders of the conservancy district. The board is empowered and legally obligated to build, operate, and maintain such water facilities, to adopt and enforce ordinances for the protection of water sources, and to sell water to the incorporated cities and villages and the corporations and persons in unincorporated areas by meter measurements and at rates that will at least defray all fixed, maintenance and operating expenses.
3. (b) Sewage treatment plants, collector, interceptor, and outlet sewers, force mains, conduits, lateral sewers, and extensions, pumping stations, ejector stations, and all other appurtenances, extensions, or improvements necessary or useful and convenient for the sanitary collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes. The board may prohibit and disconnect storm water drains and outlets where necessary to relieve existing sanitary sewers of storm water loads in order to assure the efficient and sanitary collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage and industrial wastes. The board is empowered and legally obligated to establish rates and charges for the services of any such sewerage facilities that at least defray all fixed, maintenance, and operating expenses.
4. (c) Lodges, cottages, trailer courts, and camping grounds, marinas and related facilities for the accommodation and servicing of boats, tennis courts, swimming pools, golf courses, skating rinks, skeet ranges, playgrounds, stables, bridle paths, and athletic fields, picnic grounds and parking areas, convention and entertainment centers, and other related buildings and facilities for the accommodation and recreation of persons visiting the reservoirs owned by the district or from which it is drawing a supply of water. Any such facilities, when acquired, may be leased by the board to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for operation over a period not longer than 20 years from the date of the lease, or the board may lease, for a period not longer than 50 years from the date of the lease, land to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for development for any of the foregoing recreational purposes and may grant to such person, firm, or corporation the right, at the option of the person, firm, or corporation, to extend the lease for a period not longer than 50 years from the expiration of the original lease. If the board determines to operate any such recreational facilities, it shall establish for the revenue-producing facilities rates and charges which at least defray all fixed, maintenance, and operating expenses.

5. (2) The board of trustees of the Rend Lake Conservancy District may acquire, by gift, purchase, or lease, land or facilities specified below, and may construct, develop, operate, extend, and improve such facilities:

   Industrial projects consisting of one or more buildings and other structures, improvements, machinery, and equipment suitable for use by any manufacturing, industrial, research, or commercial enterprise and any other improvements necessary or convenient thereto. Any such facilities, when acquired, may be leased for operation for a period not longer than 20 years after the date of the commencement of the lease, or the board may lease, for a period not longer than 50 years after the date of the commencement of the lease, land to a responsible person, firm, or corporation for development of any of the foregoing industrial projects and may grant to such person, firm or corporation the right, at the option of the person, firm or corporation, to extend the lease for a period not longer than 50 years from the date of expiration of the original lease. If the board decides to operate any such industrial projects, it shall establish for the revenue producing facilities rates and charges which will at least defray all fixed, maintenance, and operating expenses. However, nothing in Public Act 83-785 shall permit the Rend Lake Conservancy District to acquire, purchase, lease, construct, develop, operate, or extend a facility for the purpose of mining coal.

6. (3) For the purpose of developing, operating, or financing the cost of any such facilities under subsection (1) or (2), the authorized board may combine into one system any 2 or more such facilities and may use or pledge the revenues derived from one to pay for the other.

   Further, for such purposes, the authorized board shall have the express power to execute a note or notes and to execute a mortgage or trust deed to secure the payment of such notes; such trust deed or mortgage shall cover real estate, or some part thereof, or personal property owned by the District and the lien of the mortgage shall apply to the real estate or personal property so mortgaged by the District, and the proceeds of the note or notes may be used for the purposes set forth in this Section.

   For purposes of this Section, the authorized board shall not execute notes bearing a rate of interest that exceeds the rate permitted in the Bond Authorization Act.

(from Ch. 42, par. 394)

(Source: P.A. 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)