§ 252. Powers of county agency. 1. The agency, as empowered by the board of supervisors, may assemble data relating to (1) the water resources available to the county, both within and without, (2) the number and location of private wells within the county, the contaminants present in the water supply in the county's private wells, (for the purposes of this section, "contaminants" shall mean those substances found in amounts or concentrations which violate federal, state or local laws, guidelines or rules and regulations relating to drinking water or which may pose a risk to public health), the extent of contamination of the water supply in the county's private wells, and the availability of appropriate treatment technologies for the contaminants found to be present, or which are reasonably expected to be found, currently or in the future, in the water supply in the county's private wells, (3) the sewage collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal problems of the county, (4) the problems of collection, conveyance and disposal of storm water and other waters, (5) the problems of the collection and disposition of garbage, ashes, rubbish and other waste matter within the county, or (6) any measures reasonably related to lake protection and rehabilitation, including surveys of sources of degradation, treatment of aquatic nuisances, and the elimination or alleviation of such problems and the possibility of developing and utilizing existing facilities to make them available to the several municipalities and other political subdivisions within the county, and may employ such engineering, legal, professional and other assistance as from time to time may be needed, and may incur such other expenses as may be necessary within the amounts made available therefor by budget appropriations. When authorized by the board of supervisors, the agency may also apply for and expend state aid for comprehensive studies and reports pursuant to section 17-1901 of the environmental conservation law and comprehensive water studies and reports pursuant to title thirteen of article fifteen of the environmental conservation law. Where the agency has sufficient engineering and technical staff available, the board of supervisors may authorize the agency to render engineering and related technical services to municipalities located within the county pursuant to contract on terms and conditions to be agreed upon by the agency and the municipality.
2. In the county of Suffolk, the county sewer agency may undertake such other duties, powers and responsibilities as may from time to time be approved by or delegated to it by the board of supervisors and when authorized by the board of supervisors, the county sewer agency, subject to the prior consent of the "local governing body" within whose jurisdiction there exists a "sewer system" constructed, operated and maintained by a sewerage disposal corporation organized pursuant to the transportation corporations law, may acquire by purchase, gift, dedication, condemnation or otherwise such "sewer system" from, or all of the stock of, such "sewerage disposal corporation", and when authorized by the county board of supervisors may expend county funds for the acquisition of such "sewer system", and thereafter may operate, manage and maintain said "sewer system". The terms "local governing body", "sewer system" and "sewerage disposal corporation" being defined in article ten of the transportation corporations law. The board of supervisors may finance in whole or in part, pursuant to the local finance law, any expenditures made pursuant to this section. Subject to confirmation by the board of supervisors, the county sewer agency may impose sewer rents as provided by the general municipal law, provided that before any such sewer rents are finally established, the county sewer agency shall hold at least one public hearing thereon. Appeals may be taken from any rate fixing determination of the county sewer agency to the board of supervisors. The board of supervisors shall prescribe the manner of holding such hearings and of taking appeals. The provisions of section two hundred sixty-six of this chapter shall apply to the imposition, collection and application of sewer rents by the county sewer agency hereunder.
