Every city in the state of Idaho shall have the power by and through its council, upon a petition signed by a majority of the owners or representatives of owners of real property within any city receiving water by distribution from any ditch or canal, whether such ditch or canal be privately or otherwise controlled: to regulate, control and supervise the distribution of all water used by the inhabitants thereof for irrigation purposes; to convey the same by ditches, laterals, pipes, aqueducts, flumes, culverts or other feasible means, through the public streets, avenues and alleys; to apportion such irrigation water among such inhabitants; to regulate the distribution, and otherwise supervise, control and distribute such irrigation water in such a way as to promote the general welfare of the inhabitants of such city.