The Legislature finds that the construction, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of modern and efficient sewer systems and wastewater treatment works are essential to protecting and improving the state‘s water quality, that protecting water quality is an issue of concern to all citizens of the state, that in addition to protecting and improving the state’s water quality, adequate wastewater treatment works are essential to economic growth and development, and that the amount of needed assistance which may be provided to municipalities or counties for wastewater treatment purposes can be increased and needed projects can be undertaken more expeditiously through the issuance of revenue bonds and the deposit of the proceeds thereof into the Wastewater Treatment Facilities Construction Loan Fund.

The Legislature finds that construction, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of nonpoint source control systems are essential to water quality protection, that such systems are financially burdensome to municipalities and counties, and that the amount of needed assistance which may be provided to municipalities or counties for nonpoint source control systems can be increased and needed projects can be undertaken more expeditiously through the issuance of revenue bonds and the deposit of the proceeds of such bonds into the Wastewater Treatment Facilities Construction Loan Fund.

The Legislature finds and determines that the issuance of revenue bonds for the purpose of financing the fund serves a public purpose by assisting municipalities or counties in providing and improving wastewater treatment facilities and nonpoint source control systems and thereby providing clean water to the citizens of the state, promoting the health and well-being of the citizens, and assisting in the economic growth and development of the state and its political subdivisions. The full faith and credit and the taxing power of the state are not pledged to the payment of such bonds or the interest thereon.

The Legislature finds that a linked deposit program established to make low-interest loans available for the construction, rehabilitation, and enhancement of and assistance with nonpoint source control systems will improve the water quality of the waters of the state.