Article 8. Joint Operation of California Health And Safety Code >> Division 5. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 8.

Whenever two or more sanitation districts find and declare by resolution adopted by their respective district boards that it is for the interest or advantage of the districts to do so, the districts by their respective district boards may enter into an agreement for the maintenance of a centralized and joint administrative organization to care for the general administration of the affairs of each of the districts, and the construction, supervision, operation, and maintenance of the work of each of the districts, and for that purpose the districts may agree to employ the same engineers, surveyors, counsel, and other persons needed to carry out the purposes of the districts. Such agreement may also provide for participation by said sanitation districts in the State Employees' Retirement System of the State of California and for the payment of apportionments of costs and the collection, receipt and distribution of pension payments by one district designated for the purpose and acting on behalf of all districts participating in the agreement in the same manner as provided by Sections 4841 and 4842 of this code. When the agreement so provides, the designated district shall have all the powers and perform all the duties of a public agency for the purposes of the State Employees' Retirement Law, both in respect to the joint officers and employees of the participating districts and in respect to the officers and employees separately employed by the participating districts.

The agreement shall specify the proportionate amount to be paid by each district toward the costs and expenses of the organization and the salaries, wages, or other compensation of all persons employed jointly by the districts.

For the purpose of facilitating the payment of the joint costs, expenses, salaries, wages, or other compensation, the agreement may also provide for the payment by each district of its proportionate share of the costs, expenses, salaries, wages, or other compensation, into the funds of any one of the districts which may be designated for the purpose, and the designated district shall thereafter pay all the costs, expenses, salaries, wages, or other compensation incurred by, or to be paid in connection with the maintenance of the joint organization.

The district may contract with the Federal Government of the United States or any branch thereof, or with any county, city and county, municipal corporation, district or other public corporation or with any person, firm or corporation, for the joint acquisition or construction or use of any sewer or sewers or other works or facilities for the handling, treatment or disposal of sewage or industrial waste from the district and such other area as may be designated in said contract, when in the judgment of the legislative body of said district it is for the best interests of the district so to do. Any such contract may provide for the construction and maintenance of such sewer or sewers, or such other works or facilities, and for the payment by or for the parties thereto of such proportionate part of the cost of the acquisition, construction or maintenance of such sewer or sewers or other works or facilities as may be stated in said contract, the payments to be made at such times and in such amounts as may be provided by said contract. Any such contract may provide for the joint use of any sewer or sewers, works or facilities for the handling, treatment or disposal of sewage or industrial waste upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the parties thereto, and for the flowage, treatment or disposal of sewage or industrial waste from such area for each of the parties thereto as may be described in the contract. Any district which has acquired or constructed or which proposes to acquire or construct, any sewer or sewers, or works or other facilities for the handling, treatment or disposal of sewage or industrial waste, may contract with the Federal Government of the United States or any branch thereof, or with any county, city and county, municipal corporation, district or other public corporation or with any person, firm or corporation for the use of any such sewer or sewers, works or facilities by any such county, city and county, municipal corporation, district or other public corporation, or for the flowage, treatment or disposal of sewage or industrial waste from any area designated by such person, firm or corporation so contracting, upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in said contract.