1-3 context otherwise requires:

1-4 1. "Board" means the board for financing water projects created

1-5 pursuant to NRS 349.957.

1-6 2. "Community water system" means a public water system which:

1-7 (a) Has 15 or more service connections; or

1-8 (b) Serves 25 or more persons,

1-9 at places which are intended for year-round occupancy.

1-10 3. "Costs of capital improvements to community water systems and

1-11 nontransient water systems" means the costs traditionally associated with

1-12 capital improvements to such systems and includes costs associated with

1-13 the:

1-14 (a) Consolidation of existing systems; and

1-15 (b) Transfer and connection of a public water system to a system owned

2-14 of money to [purveyors] :

2-15 (a) A purveyor of water to pay for costs of capital improvements to

2-16 publicly owned community water systems and publicly owned

2-17 nontransient water systems required or made necessary by the state board

2-18 of health pursuant to NRS 445A.800 to 445A.955, inclusive, or made

2-19 necessary by the Safe Drinking Water Act , [(] 42 U.S.C. §§ 300f et seq. ,

2-20 [)] and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

2-21 (b) An eligible recipient to pay for the cost of improvements to

2-22 conserve water, including, without limitation:

2-23 (1) Piping or lining of an irrigation canal;

2-24 (2) Recovery or recycling of wastewater or tailwater;

2-25 (3) Scheduling of irrigation;

2-26 (4) Measurement or metering of the use of water; and

2-27 (5) Improving the efficiency of irrigation.

2-28 2. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 349.983, the determination

2-29 of who is to receive a grant is solely within the discretion of the board.

2-30 3. As used in this section, "eligible recipient" means:

2-31 (a) A political subdivision of this state, including, without limitation, a

2-32 city, county, irrigation district, water district or water conservancy

2-33 district; or

2-34 (b) An Indian tribal organization, nonprofit organization or lending

2-38 regulations necessary for that purpose.

2-39 2. The regulations must provide such requirements for participation in

2-40 the program as the board deems necessary.

2-41 3. The money in the fund may be used to defray, in whole or in part,

2-42 the costs of administering the fund and the expenses of the board in

3-8 program] pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 of NRS 349.981 only

3-9 for those community and nontransient water systems that:

3-10 (a) Were in existence on January 1, 1995; and

3-11 (b) Are currently publicly owned.

3-12 2. In making its determination of which purveyors of water are to

3-13 receive grants [,] pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 of NRS

3-14 349.981, the board shall give preference to those purveyors of water whose

3-15 public water systems regularly serve fewer than 6,000 persons.

3-16 3. Each recipient of a grant pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1

3-17 of NRS 349.981 shall provide an amount of money for the same purpose.

3-18 The board shall develop a scale to be used to determine that amount, but

3-19 the recipient must not be required to provide an amount less than 15

3-20 percent or more than 75 percent of the amount of the grant. The scale must

3-21 be based upon the average household income of the customers of the

3-22 recipient, and provide adjustments for the demonstrated economic hardship

3-23 of those customers, the existence of an imminent risk to public health and

3-24 any other factor that the board determines to be relevant.

3-25 [4. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 1 and 2, the

3-26 determination of which purveyors of water are to receive grants is solely

3-30 water conservation and capital improvements to certain water systems is

3-31 hereby created.

3-32 2. Except as otherwise provided by [subsection] subsections 3 and 4

3-33 of NRS 349.982, the money in the fund must be used only to make grants

3-34 in furtherance of the program.

3-35 3. All claims against the fund must be paid as other claims against the

3-36 state are paid.