KRS 224A.316: Legislative findings -- Program implementation -- Priority to regional

projects.

(1) In furtherance of the goal of making access to public water and wastewater systems

more resilient and available to the public, the General Assembly finds an d declares

that governmental agencies should provide to water and wastewater systems the

requisite financial resources to:

(a) Develop the technical, managerial, and operational expertise needed to

properly operate and maintain their drinking water and wastewater systems;

(b) Conserve, protect, and maximize the resources needed to offer drinking water

and wastewater systems and services;

(c) Upgrade drinking water and wastewater systems and services to prevent water

loss and inflow and infiltration from degrading infrastructure; and

(d) Leverage existing finance with anticipated federal dollars or with other

sources as may be available from time to time to create a larger pool of

finance for water and wastewater systems to make improvements while

keeping customer rates affordable.

(2) The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority shall implement a program to assist

governmental agencies that provide drinking water and wastewater services with

the financial resources for both capital and non -capital expenses, includin g but not

limited to:

(a) Developing technical, operational, and maintenance resources and expertise;

(b) Improving utility infrastructure planning, repair, maintenance, renovation, and

management of plants and assets;

(c) Obtaining technical expertise in areas of rate -setting, cost -of-service, and

proper utility accounting standards for the utility type;

(d) Performing and correcting deficiencies from drinking water, wastewater, and

financial audits;

(e) Providing finance for financial inadequacies, including debt service coverage

through relief or refinance of the drinking water or wastewater system's debt;

(f) Payment assistance for other financial inadequacies such as excessive

maintenance costs, fines and penalties from past violations, or consultants;

and

(g) Extending finance for inadequately maintained distribution, collection, or

treatment works, including service extensions to unserved or underserved

areas and the renovation of treatment works to conserve resources.

(3) The authority shall give priority for projects that are regional in nature and achieve

the purposes set out in KRS 224A.300, including but not limited to projects

designed to correct state or federal deficiencies of a public water or wastewater

system that is being acquired as described in KRS 65.058, but only during the

forbearance period granted to the acquired public water or wastewater system under

that section.