The repealing of existing laws shall not have the effect of suspending, abating, abridging, impairing, vitiating or nullifying any right, power, remedy or lien heretofore given, created or conferred upon any levee district heretofore organized or in process of organization at the time of passage of sections 245.010 to 245.280, under any law of this state, either special or general, but all such rights, powers, remedies and liens are hereby directly preserved to all such levee districts; nor shall the repealing of existing laws have the effect of suspending, abridging, abating or nullifying any proceeding or proceedings now pending in any court of this state or of the United States; nor shall the repealing of existing laws have the effect of impairing, invalidating, discharging, changing, modifying or destroying any obligation, contract or undertaking, entered into by or with any levee district now organized, and existing under any law in this state, either special or general, but all such obligations, contracts and undertakings so entered into, shall be and remain inviolate. All rights, powers, liens and remedies now existing in behalf of such levee district of this state, may be enforced and made available in the manner and by the means and mode now provided by law, or such rights, powers, liens and remedies may be enforced and made available under the provisions of sections 245.010 to 245.280, if applicable, at the election of the board of supervisors of the levee district. Sections 245.010 to 245.280 are hereby declared to be remedial in character and purpose, and shall be liberally construed by the courts in carrying out this legislative intent and purpose, and its provisions shall be construed to apply to levee districts already organized or in process of organization at the time of the passage of sections 245.010 to 245.280.