When used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, respectively, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1) APPLICANT. A natural person who files a written application with the governing body of any county in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-88-3.
(2) AUTHORITY. A public corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(3) BOARD. The board of directors of an authority.
(4) BONDS. Bonds, notes, and certificates representing an obligation to pay money.
(5) CONCISE LEGAL DESCRIPTION. A reasonably concise description of a particular geographic area which may be by metes and bounds or by reference to government surveys, recorded maps and plats, municipal, county, or state boundary lines, well-defined landmarks and other monuments, or any combination of the foregoing.
(6) COUNTY. Any county in the state.
(7) DETERMINING COUNTY. Any county the governing body of which shall have made findings and determinations of fact in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-88-3.
(8) DIRECTOR. A member of the board of directors of the authority.
(9) FIRE PROTECTION FACILITY. Land, plants, systems, facilities, buildings, fire engines, fire hydrants, ladders, equipment, hoses, alarm apparatus, chemicals, uniforms, supplies, or any combination of any thereof used or useful or capable of future use in furnishing fire protection service and all other property deemed necessary or desirable by the authority for use in furnishing fire protection service.
(10) FIRE PROTECTION SERVICE. All services involved in protecting property and life from fires, including but not limited to discovering, ascertaining, extinguishing, preventing the spread of or fighting fires, or inspecting property for fire hazards, or any part or combination thereof. The supplying of water for use in the rendition of fire protection service shall be deemed to constitute fire protection service. The searching for, testing for, or drilling for water, the installation of necessary access ways, electric, gas, sewer, telephone, and water lines to, from, and for, the construction of buildings and accessory structures used for, and the operation and maintenance of, and pumping water from a well, a spring, a creek, a river or tributary thereof, a reservoir, or a tank by a public corporation organized under the provisions of this chapter which has as one of its stated purposes, within its certificate of incorporation or a duly adopted amendment thereto, the rendering of fire protection services shall be deemed to constitute fire protection service. Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, no provision of this definition shall apply to any public corporation organized under this chapter which does not specifically have as one of its stated purposes, within its certificate of incorporation or a duly adopted amendment thereto, the rendering of fire protection services.
(11) GOVERNING BODY. The county commission of a county.
(12) INCORPORATORS. The persons forming a public corporation organized pursuant to the provisions of this article.
(13) MUNICIPALITY. An incorporated city or town of the state.
(14) NEW TERRITORY. Any territory added, by amendment to the certificate of incorporation of an authority, to the area or areas in which that authority is authorized to render water service, fire protection service, sewer service or any thereof.
(15) PERSON. Unless limited to a natural person by the context in which it is used, such term includes a public or private corporation, a municipality, a county, or an agency, department, or instrumentality of the state or of a county or municipality.
(16) PROPERTY. Real and personal property and interests therein.
(17) PUBLIC FIRE PROTECTION FACILITY. A fire protection facility which is owned or operated by the United States of America, the state, a county, a municipality, a public corporation organized under the laws of the state, any combination of any thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof or in which any one or more thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof holds a reversionary or remainder interest.
(18) PUBLIC SEWER SYSTEM. A sewer system which is owned or operated by the United States of America, the state, a county, a municipality, a public corporation organized under the laws of the state, any combination of any thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof or in which any one or more thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof holds a reversionary or remainder interest.
(19) PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM. A water system which is owned or operated by the United States of America, the state, a county, a municipality, a public corporation organized under the laws of the state, any combination of any thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof or in which any one or more thereof or any agency or instrumentality of any one or more thereof holds a reversionary or remainder interest.
(20) SERVICE AREA. The geographic area or areas in which an authority is authorized by its certificate of incorporation or any amendment thereto to render water service, fire protection service, sewer service or any thereof, which area may include not only territory located outside the boundaries of any municipality but also territory located within the boundaries of one or more municipalities.
(21) SEWER SERVICE. All services involved in collecting, transporting, treating, and disposing of sanitary sewage and the performing of all functions and activities reasonably incident to the operation of a sewer system.
(22) SEWER SYSTEM. A sanitary sewer system, including mains, laterals, sewage disposal plants, and sewage treatment plants and all appurtenances to such a system and all properties, rights, easements, and franchises deemed necessary or desirable by the authority for use in rendering sewer services.
(23) STATE. The State of Alabama.
(24) WATER SERVICE. The providing, furnishing, supplying, or distributing of water and the performing of all of the functions and activities reasonably incident to the operation of a water system, including the provision of water to a fire protection authority to be used in the rendition of fire protection service. The searching for, testing for, drilling for, installation of necessary access ways, electric, gas, sewer, telephone, and water lines to, from, and for the construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings and accessory structures used for pumping from a well, a spring, a creek, a river or tributary thereof, a reservoir, or a tank by a public corporation organized under the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to be an authorized function of water service, but shall not exclusively constitute water service.
(25) WATER SYSTEM. Land, plants, systems, facilities, buildings, and other property, or any combination of any thereof, which are used or useful or capable of future use in providing, furnishing, supplying, or distributing water, including but not limited to water supply systems, water distribution systems, reservoirs, wells, intakes, mains, laterals, aqueducts, pumping stations, standpipes, filtration plants, purification plants, meters, valves, and all necessary appurtenances and equipment, and all properties, rights, easements, and franchises deemed necessary or desirable by the authority for use in rendering water service.