Whenever the construction and maintenance of a system of sewers or the use of existing sewers for any contiguous area in the state of Missouri shall become necessary for the preservation of the public health or public welfare or will be of public utility or benefit, if any such area shall lie within any county in the state of Missouri, now or hereafter having a population of not less than seven hundred thousand nor more than one million inhabitants, the area may be established and incorporated as a sewer district under sections 249.010 to 249.420 in the manner following: Twenty-five or more voters residing within the area may file with the circuit court having jurisdiction, a petition setting forth therein the reason or necessity for a sewer system; the boundary lines of the proposed district; the type and/or kind of sewers; the name of the proposed district, and the number of years the district is to continue; a request for the appointment of a sanitary engineer with duties as herein provided; and take any further action necessary to determine the question whether the area may be organized and incorporated as a sewer district under sections 249.010 to 249.420. There shall be filed with the petition a bond in a sum to be determined by the court but in no event more than five hundred dollars payable to the state of Missouri signed by one or more of the petitioners with good and sufficient surety or sureties to be approved by the court, conditioned for the payments of costs and expenses.