1. The general powers of a commission to the extent provided in section 393.710 to be exercised for the benefit of its contracting members shall include the power to:

(1) Plan, develop, acquire, construct, reconstruct, operate, manage, dispose of, participate in, maintain, repair, extend or improve one or more projects, either exclusively or jointly or by participation with electric cooperative associations, municipally owned or public utilities or acquire any interest in or any rights to capacity of a project, within or outside the state, and act as an agent, or designate one or more other persons participating in a project to act as its agent, in connection with the planning, acquisition, construction, operation, maintenance, repair, extension or improvement of such project;

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(2) Acquire, sell, distribute and process fuels necessary to the production of electric power and energy; provided, however, the commission shall not have the power or authority to erect, own, use or maintain a transmission line which is parallel or generally parallel to another transmission line in place within a distance of two miles, which serves the same general area sought to be served by the commission unless the public service commission finds that it is not feasible to utilize the transmission line which is in place;

(3) Acquire by purchase or lease, construct, install, and operate reservoirs, pipelines, wells, check dams, pumping stations, water purification plants, and other facilities for the production, wholesale distribution, and utilization of water and to own and hold such real and personal property as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of its organization; provided, however, that a commission shall not sell or distribute water, at retail or wholesale, within the certificated area of a water corporation which is subject to the jurisdiction of the public service commission unless the sale or distribution of water is within the boundaries of a public water supply district or municipality which is a contracting municipality in the commission and the commission has obtained the approval of the public service commission prior to commencing such said sale or distribution of water;

(4) Acquire by purchase or lease, construct, install, and operate lagoons, pipelines, wells, pumping stations, sewage treatment plants and other facilities for the treatment and transportation of sewage and to own and hold such real and personal property as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of its organization;

(5) Enter into operating, franchises, exchange, interchange, pooling, wheeling, transmission and other similar agreements with any person;

(6) Make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the commission;

(7) Employ agents and employees;

(8) Contract with any person, within or outside the state, for the construction of any project or for any interest therein or any right to capacity thereof, without advertising for bids, preparing final plans and specifications in advance of construction, or securing performance and payment of bonds, except to the extent and on such terms as its board of directors or executive committee shall determine. Any contract entered into pursuant to this subdivision shall contain a provision that the requirements of sections 290.210 to 290.340 shall apply;

(9) Purchase, sell, exchange, transmit, treat, dispose or distribute water, sewage, gas, heat or electric power and energy, or any by-product resulting therefrom, within and outside the state, in such amounts as it shall determine to be necessary and appropriate to make the most effective use of its powers and to meet its responsibilities, and to enter into agreements with any person with respect to such purchase, sale, exchange, treatment, disposal or transmission, on such terms and for such period of time as its board of directors or executive committee shall determine. A commission may not sell or distribute water, gas, heat or power and energy, or sell sewage service at retail to ultimate customers outside the boundary limits of its contracting municipalities except pursuant to subsection 2 or 3 of this section;

(10) Acquire, own, hold, use, lease, as lessor or lessee, sell or otherwise dispose of, mortgage, pledge, or grant a security interest in any real or personal property, commodity or service or interest therein;

(11) Exercise the powers of eminent domain for public use as provided in chapter 523, except that the power of eminent domain shall not be exercised against any electric cooperative association, municipally owned or public utility;

(12) Incur debts, liabilities or obligations including the issuance of bonds pursuant to the authority granted in § 27 of Article VI of the Missouri Constitution;

(13) Sue and be sued in its own name;

(14) Have and use a corporate seal;

(15) Fix, maintain and revise fees, rates, rents and charges for functions, services, facilities or commodities provided by the commission. The powers enumerated in this subdivision shall constitute the power to tax for purposes of Article X, § 15 of the Missouri Constitution;

(16) Make, and from time to time, amend and repeal bylaws, rules and regulations not inconsistent with this section to carry into effect the powers and purposes of the commission;

(17) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, invest any funds held in reserve or sinking funds, or any funds not required for immediate disbursement, including the proceeds from the sale of any bonds, in such obligations, securities and other investments as the commission deems proper;

(18) Join organizations, membership in which is deemed by the board of directors or its executive committee to be beneficial to accomplishment of the commission’s purposes;

(19) Exercise any other powers which are deemed necessary and convenient by the commission to effectuate the purposes of the commission; and

(20) Do and perform any acts and things authorized by this section under, through or by means of an agent or by contracts with any person.

2. When a municipality purchases a privately owned water utility and a commission is created pursuant to sections 393.700 to 393.770, the commission may continue to serve those locations previously receiving water from the private utility even though the location receives such service outside the geographical area of the municipalities forming the commission. New water service may be provided in such areas if the site to receive such service is located within one-fourth of a mile from a site serviced by the privately owned water utility.

3. When a commission created by any of the contracting entities listed in subdivision (4) of section 393.705 becomes a successor to any nonprofit water corporation, nonprofit sewer corporation or other nonprofit agency or entity organized to provide water or sewer service, the commission may continue to serve, as well as provide new service to, those locations and areas previously receiving water or sewer service from such nonprofit entity, regardless of whether or not such location receives such service outside the geographical service area of the contracting entities forming such commission; provided that such locations and areas previously receiving water and sewer service from such nonprofit entity are not located within:

(1) Any county of the first classification with a population of more than six hundred thousand and less than nine hundred thousand;

(2) The boundaries of any sewer district established pursuant to Article VI, § 30(a) of the Missouri Constitution; or

(3) The certificated area of a water or sewer corporation that is subject to the jurisdiction of the public service commission.