No municipality shall proceed to operate for hire any public utility for the use or benefit of private consumers or users, or charge for such consumption or use, unless the proposition to operate has first been submitted to the electors of the municipality as a separate proposition and approved by a majority of those voting thereon. The proposition shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-117-3. But any municipality, without such submission and approval, may sell for heat, light or power within or without the corporate limits of the municipality, electricity generated in any electric lighting plant owned and operated by the municipality for the municipality's own use. Also any municipality, without such submission and approval, may sell water within and outside th
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No municipality shall proceed to operate for hire any public utility for the use or benefit of private consumers or users, or charge for such consumption or use, unless the proposition to operate has first been submitted to the electors of the municipality as a separate proposition and approved by a majority of those voting thereon. The proposition shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of Section 11-117-3. But any municipality, without such submission and approval, may sell for heat, light or power within or without the corporate limits of the municipality, electricity generated in any electric lighting plant owned and operated by the municipality for the municipality's own use. Also any municipality, without such submission and approval, may sell water within and outside the corporate limits of the municipality from any water plant owned and operated by the municipality, and for this purpose shall have power to acquire by agreement, purchase or condemnation, rights of way not more than 35 miles beyond its corporate limits in the streets, alleys or other public ways of any city, village or incorporated town or in unincorporated territory, even though such city, village or incorporated town or unincorporated territory to be served is not contiguous to the municipality, convenient and necessary for this purpose and to lay mains and construct and operate pumping stations, reservoirs and other necessary appurtenances therein. Provided, further, that where such municipality has laid mains and constructed and operated pumping stations, reservoirs and other necessary appurtenances, it may enter into contracts at a higher water rate than the existing metered rate for like consumers within the municipality, to allow the municipality to obtain a fair return to cover the cost of financing, constructing, operating and maintaining the improved facilities, and in the event such rates are not agreed upon by the parties, such rates shall be fixed and determined by the circuit court of the county in which the municipality which has financed, constructed, operated and maintained the improved facilities is located; but this proviso shall not impair the right of a municipal corporation to obtain water at the existing metered rate for like consumers as is provided in Section 26 of "An Act to create sanitary districts and to remove obstructions in the Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers", approved May 29, 1889, as heretofore and hereafter amended.