Whereas, it is imperative that the Town of Bar Harbor establish control of the distribution of water to the inhabitants of the Town of Bar Harbor as soon as possible and take necessary action to comply with requirements of the federally mandated water quality standards without further delay; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. Powers of Town of Bar Harbor. The Town of Bar Harbor, for the public use, may take, collect, store, flow, use, divert, distribute and convey to the inhabitants of the town water from any source approved by the Department of Human Services, natural or artificial, within the area of the Town of Bar Harbor and from any other source from which the Bar Harbor Water Company may take water. It may also locate, construct and maintain aqueducts, pipes, conduits, dams, wells, reservoirs, standpipes, hydrants, pumping stations and other necessary structures and equipment for those purposes and do anything necessary to furnish water for public purposes and for the public health, comfort and convenience of the inhabitants and others of the town, or to contract to do any and all of the foregoing things.

All incidental powers, rights and privileges necessary to the accomplishment of the main objectives set forth in this Act are granted to the town in this Act.

Sec. 2. Authorized to lay mains, pipes, conduits and other water conveyances through public ways and across private lands. The Town of Bar Harbor may lay in and through the streets, roads, ways, highways and bridges in the Town of Bar Harbor and across private lands in the Town of Bar Harbor and maintain, repair and replace all such pipes, mains, conduits, aqueducts and fixtures and appurtenances as may be necessary and convenient for the purposes in this Act and, whenever the town lays any pipes, mains, conduits, aqueducts and fixtures or appurtenances in any street, road, way or highway, the town shall cause the same to be done with as little obstruction as practicable to the public travel and at its own