524                                 Laws of Maryland                          ch. 240

sional services which may be utilized in the acquisition, improve-
ment, or construction of such facilities may be regarded as a part of
the costs of the facilities.

3B. ACTIVITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES; LIMITATION
UPON POWERS.

THE SERVICE SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING
OUT THE FOLLOWING GENERAL ACTIVITIES, WITH LIMI-
TATIONS AS PROVIDED:

(A)  PLANNING, INTEGRATION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF
GEOGRAPHIC SERVICE REGIONS AND DISTRICTS, IN CO-
OPERATION WITH THE AFFECTED MUNICIPALITIES, AND
BASED UPON APPROVED STATE-COUNTY MASTER PLANS
FOR WATER AND SEWERAGE AND SOLID WASTE DIS-
POSAL AS PROVIDED FOR IN ARTICLE 43 OF THE ANNO-
TATED CODE OF MARYLAND, AS WELL AS OTHER PLANS
AND STUDIES PERMITTED BY THIS ARTICLE.

(B)  RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES AND
INVESTIGATIONS INTO IMPROVED METHODS AND TECH-
NIQUES OF LIQUID AND SOLID WASTES ACQUISITION,
TRANSPORTATION, PROCESSING, PURIFICATION, DIS-
POSAL AND MANAGEMENT, AND TECHNICAL CONSULTA-
TION AND ASSISTANCE TO DESIGN, MANAGEMENT AND
OPERATING PERSONNEL OF THE SERVICE AND, PURSU-
ANT TO AN ORDER OR UPON REQUEST, TO APPROPRIATE
MUNICIPALITIES OR PERSONS POSSESSING SIMILAR RE-
SPONSIBILITIES.

(C)  TO THE EXTENT DEEMED APPROPRIATE IN EACH
PARTICULAR INSTANCE, ACQUISITION, DESIGN, CON-
STRUCTION, RECONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, IM-
PROVEMENT, OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
OF WASTE WATER PURIFICATION AND SOLID WASTE DIS-
POSAL PROJECTS, EITHER PURSUANT TO AN ORDER OF
THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE OR
THE SECRETARY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AS FURTHER
PROVIDED FOR IN SECTIONS 8 AND 9 OF THIS ARTICLE,
OR PURSUANT TO A MANDATORY AGREEMENT TO PRO-
VIDE REQUESTED SERVICES, AS PROVIDED FOR IN SEC-
TION 6 OF THIS ARTICLE, OR PURSUANT TO AN APPROVED
FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AS PROVIDED FOR IN SECTION 5 OF
THIS ARTICLE.

(D)  ANYTHING IN THIS ARTICLE TO THE CONTRARY
NOTWITHSTANDING, THE SERVICE SHALL NOT HAVE
AUTHORITY OR POWER TO ACQUIRE, CONSTRUCT, OPER-
ATE OR OTHERWISE ESTABLISH A WASTEWATER PURI-
FICATION PROJECT OR SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL PROJECT,
AS THE CASE MAY BE, FOR ANY AREA OR DISTRICT
WHICH, IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE,
IS RECEIVING ADEQUATE SERVICE FROM A PROJECT
OWNED BY A MUNICIPALITY AND OPERATED IN COMPLI-
ANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, OR
FOR ANY AREA OR DISTRICT WHICH, IN THE DETERMI-
NATION OF THE AFOREMENTIONED SECRETARY, WILL,