Any water district established under this act is hereby empowered to connect with any source of water supply or to construct, operate and maintain waterworks or plants anywhere within twenty (20) miles of any boundary of such water district, either within or without the county; to lay mains from any such waterworks or plants through and under and along any street, public highway, alley, or park and across any public property to any boundary of such water district; to construct, operate, maintain, expand and extend waterworks or plants at any point along or near the lines of such water mains; and to acquire suitable grounds by purchase or by appropriate proceedings in condemnation for the construction, extension, expansion, operation or maintenance of any mains, waterworks or plants mentioned herein. Such condemnation proceedings shall be exercised in accordance with the provisions of Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 26-501 to 26-516, inclusive. Such district shall have jurisdiction over any such grounds acquired outside the water district the same as if such grounds were within the district as far as may be necessary in order to protect, maintain and operate such works.