The commission shall establish the payments for water service to be paid by water user entities for purchase of water from the southwest pipeline project. The payments for water service include each water user entity's proportionate share of the operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, and also include a component for payment for capital costs. The commission shall include in its determination of each water user entity's share of operation, maintenance, and replacement costs an amount to be deposited in the southwest pipeline project reserve fund for replacement, as established by section 61-24.3-16, for replacement and extraordinary maintenance of southwest pipeline project works. The amount of such reserve fund for replacement shall be determined by the commission.
61-24.3-12. Operation and maintenance - Commission to employ manager and employees. The commission shall obtain the assistance necessary for the operation and maintenance of the southwest pipeline project. To that end, it may appoint a manager, and may appoint subordinate officers and employees. It may designate the manager its general agent in respect to the operation and maintenance of the southwest pipeline project, but subject, nevertheless, in such agency, to the supervision, limitation, and control of the commission. It may appoint or employ such contractors, engineers, attorneys, and other experts, agents, and servants as in the judgment of the commission the interests of the state may require, and shall define the duties, designate the titles, and fix the compensation, within legislative appropriation, and the bonds of all such persons so engaged. Subject to the control and regulation of the commission the manager of the southwest pipeline project may appoint and employ such deputies and other subordinates, and such contractors, engineers, attorneys, and other experts, agents, and servants as the manager shall deem required. The total compensation of such appointees and employees, together with other expenditures for the operation and maintenance of the southwest pipeline project, shall remain within the appropriation and earnings lawfully available in each year for such purpose.