The rate to be charged per acre-foot of water for sale for the irrigation of any tract of land until such time as the irrigation tax hereinafter provided shall have been levied, shall be two ($2) dollars per acre-foot for the first twelve (12) months during which the said tract is offered or receives water from the Irrigation System, and for the subsequent period the rate may be higher but shall never exceed six ($6) dollars per acre-foot. The amount of this latter rate shall be determined by the Authority so that the total rates charged will be sufficient to meet the annual expenses of operation and maintenance of the Irrigation System, taking into account the annual receipts from the sale of water plus the other receipts from the operation of said System.
Notwithstanding the preceding provision, during the period following the first twelve (12) months in which water is offered or received from the Irrigation System by any tract of land which requires that the landholder elevates the water by means of pumping as provided in § 368a of this title, the rate to be charged per acre-foot of water for sale for irrigation shall be three ($3.00) dollars per acre-foot, after having taken into consideration the cost of the pumping which gravitates on the landholder who cultivates said lands.
History —June 10, 1953, No. 65, p. 182, added as § 14A on June 18, 1958, No. 46, p. 71; June 14, 1961, No. 55, p. 97, eff. July 1, 1961.