The commission, acting by and through the board, shall have and may exercise all powers necessary or convenient for the carrying out of its objects and purposes, including, but not limited to, the following rights and powers:

(1)  To sue and be sued.

(2)  To adopt, use, and alter at will a corporate seal.

(3)  To acquire, by gift, grant, purchase, or condemnation proceedings or otherwise, all property, including rights of way; to lease property as lessee or lessor; and to hold and use any franchise, property, real, personal or mixed, tangible or intangible, or any interest therein, necessary or desirable for carrying out the objects and purposes of the commission, and to sell, lease as lessor, exchange, transfer, and dispose of any property or interest therein at any time acquired by it, whenever the commission shall determine that such property is not necessary for its corporate purposes and that it is in the best interest of the commission.

(4)  To enter into contracts for the purchase, acquisition, construction, and improvement of works and facilities necessary in connection with the purposes of the commission.

(5)  To plan, finance, acquire, construct, improve, own, operate, and maintain works and facilities in connection with water, sewer, and sewage disposal facilities and systems of the commission, and to make additions, extensions, improvements, and betterments thereto, and to operate and manage the same.

(6)  To appoint such officers, agents, employees, and servants, including engineers, attorneys, accountants, construction and financial experts, superintendents, managers, and other employees and agents as the board deems advisable and as may be necessary in its judgment; to prescribe their duties and to fix their compensation.

(7)  To maintain such office or offices at such place or places as the board may determine.

(8)  To issue revenue bonds or other debt obligations which may be secured by a mortgage on the lands, buildings, machinery and equipment or by the pledge of the income and revenues derived or to be derived from any work of public improvement owned, leased or operated by the commission, or both.

(9)  To issue general obligation bonds under La. Const. Art. VI, § 33 , or to levy taxes for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, maintaining, or operating any work of public improvement, or any combination of these, when authorized by a vote of a majority of the electors of the parish who vote thereon at an election held for that purpose.

(10)  To issue in accordance with the laws of the state of Louisiana refunding bonds for the purpose of refunding any outstanding bonds of the commission.

(11)  To make and to enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the purposes of the commission.

(12)  To fix, establish, maintain, and make subsequent revisions of a schedule of rates and charges for water, sewer, and sewage disposal services furnished by the commission.

(13)  To receive and accept from any source, grants for or in aid of the construction of the facilities of the commission or additions or extensions thereto, and to receive and accept aid or contributions from any source, of either money, property or other things of value to be held, used, and applied only for the purposes for which such grants and contributions may be made.

(14)  To enter into all covenants, agreements, contracts, and obligations with the owners of any bonds of the commission to finance the cost of the construction, acquisition, extensions, or improvements of the common works and facilities of the commission, and all covenants, agreements, and obligations of the commission shall be and shall constitute valid and legally binding covenants, agreements, and obligations of the commission and shall be fully enforceable in any court of competent jurisdiction against the commission.

(15)  To operate, maintain, improve, extend, or dispose of water, sewer, and sewage disposal facilities, or any combination of these, heretofore owned or operated or owned and operated by the parish and the districts, as such facilities now exist or as they may be extended.

(16)  For the purpose of paying the costs of maintaining, operating, and administering the facilities of the commission or the districts, or any combination of these or for paying the costs of constructing, extending, or improving such facilities, or any combination of these, the commission shall have complete power and authority to charge any and all users of said facilities at such rates and charges or schedules as may be established by the commission, which charges for services may be expended for operation and maintenance of said facilities or the payment of the principal and interest on any outstanding indebtedness of the commission.

(17)  The commission shall be authorized to combine on a single bill or statement any water and sewer charge imposed on any user of water and sewer services of the commission.  Upon failure of any user to pay any amount due for such services provided by the commission, the commission may withhold water or sewer services, or both, to such users until the delinquent payment is made current.

(18)  To do any and all things necessary to carry out the purposes and intentions hereof.

Acts 1986, No. 377, §1, eff. July 2, 1986.