Many areas and localities in northwestern North Dakota do not enjoy safe drinking water, and the water in these areas and localities contains iron, sulfates, alkali, salt, nitrates, fluoride, and other hazardous and discoloring substances. Other areas and localities in northwestern North Dakota do not have sufficient quantities of water to ensure a dependable, long-term supply. Supplementation of the water resources of northwestern North Dakota with water supplies from the Missouri River, utilizing a pipeline transmission and delivery system, may be the only alternative to provide northwestern North Dakota with a safe, good quality, dependable source, and adequate quantity of water.

Effective development and utilization of the land and water resources of this state; the opportunity for greater economic security; the protection of health, property, enterprise, and the preservation of the benefits from the land and water resources of this state; and the promotion of the prosperity and general welfare of all of the people of North Dakota involve and require the exercise of the sovereign powers of the state and concern a public purpose. To accomplish this public purpose, a project to supply and distribute water to the people of northwestern North Dakota through a pipeline transmission and delivery system for purposes, including domestic, rural water districts, municipal, livestock, light industrial, mining, and other uses, with primary emphasis on domestic, rural water district, and municipal uses must be pursued. In furtherance of this public purpose, the state water commission may provide for the issuance of bonds in accordance with chapter 61-02 to finance the costs of the project.

This chapter may not be construed to limit the rights, powers, duties, and functions of the state water commission or the department of water resources, but must be considered supplementary to those rights, powers, duties, and functions.