Ala. Code § 11-50-343 (2026)

(a) Each board created under the provisions of this article shall be deemed to be a public agency or instrumentality exercising public and governmental functions to provide for the public health and welfare, and each such board is hereby authorized and empowered:

(1) To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business;

(2) To adopt an official seal and alter the same at pleasure;

(3) To maintain an office at such place or places within the city as it may designate;

(4) To sue and be sued in its own name;

(5) To acquire, purchase, lease as lessee, construct, reconstruct, improve, extend, operate, and maintain any water system or part thereof or any sewer system or part thereof or any combination thereof within or without or partly within and partly without the corporate limits of the city, and to acquire by gift, purchase, or the exercise of the right of eminent domain lands or rights in land or water rights in connection therewith and to acquire such personal property as it may deem necessary in connection with the construction, improvement, extension, enlargement, or operation of any water system or sewer system and to hold and dispose of all real and personal property under its control; provided, that any proceedings to acquire property by the exercise of the power of eminent domain shall be conducted and the compensation to be paid shall be ascertained and paid in the manner provided by the laws of the state then applicable which relate to condemnation or the exercise of the power of eminent domain by such city;

(6) To issue revenue bonds of the board for any of its corporate purposes, such bonds to be payable solely from revenues, and to refund its bonds, all as provided in this article;

(7) To combine the water system and the sewer system as a single system for the purpose of operation and financing;

(8) To fix and revise from time to time and charge and collect rates, fees, and charges for the use of or for the services and facilities furnished by any system operated by the board;

(9) To exercise jurisdiction, control, and supervision over any water system or sewer system owned, operated, or maintained by the board and to make and enforce such rules and regulations for the maintenance and operation of any such system as may, in the judgment of the board, be necessary or desirable for the efficient operation of such system and for accomplishing the purposes of this article;

(10) To make and enter into all contracts and agreements as the board may determine which are necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and to the execution of its powers under this article, and to employ such consulting and other engineers, superintendents, managers, construction and financial experts, accountants, and attorneys and such employees and agents as it may determine necessary in its judgment and to fix their compensation; provided, however, that all such expenses shall be payable solely from funds made available under the provisions of this article;

(11) To enter upon, use, occupy, and dig up, with the consent of the city, any street, alley, road, highway, or other public places necessary to be entered upon, used, or occupied in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation of any water system or sewer system;

(12) To receive and accept from any federal agency grants for or in aid of the construction of any water system or sewer system or part thereof and to receive and accept aid or contributions from any source of either money, property, labor, or other things of value to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants or contributions may be made; and

(13) To do all acts and things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly granted in this article.

(b) All resolutions adopted or promulgated by the board shall, as soon as practicable after their passage, be recorded in a book kept for that purpose and be authenticated by the signature of the secretary or other administrative officer authorized to authenticate such resolutions; and all resolutions of a general or permanent nature shall be published in some newspaper of general circulation in the city, but if no such newspaper is published within the limits of the city, such resolutions may be published by posting three copies thereof in three public places within the limits of the city.

(Acts 1951, No. 775, p. 1359, §4.)