1480                               Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 523

4(q).

To make directly, or through the hiring of consultants, any plans,
surveys, investigations, and studies relating to water supply, liquid
and solid wastes transportation, purification, disposal techniques, and
management methods or the effects of these techniques and methods,
for the purpose or improving or evaluating the effectiveness or econ-
omy of its services and operations; the Service may charge in part
or in whole the costs of the investigations and studies against one or
more service districts or may include them in part or in whole in its
general operating expenses, depending on the expected applicability
of the studies and investigations; and the Service may supplement
grants or other aids received from the federal government or from
other sources to assist in carrying out the purposes of this article;

5(a).

As soon as possible after the organization of the Service, the
director shall, after consultation with the Secretary of Natural Re-
sources, the Secretary of State Planning, the Secretary of Health and
Mental Hygiene, and the municipalities affected, determine appropri-
ate boundaries for water supply service regions, waste water
purification service regions and solid waste disposal service regions.
Service regions shall be based upon needs set forth in, and provide
integration of, approved state-county master plans for water and
sewerage or solid waste disposal, adopted pursuant to Article 43 of
this Code, but may also take account of other plans and studies.

5(b).

As soon as possible after the determination of appropriate bound-
aries, the director, after consultation with the municipalities affected,
shall establish priorities for designating water supply service regions,
waste water purification service regions and solid waste disposal
service regions, and shall formally designate the regions.

5(c).

Identical service regions need not be designated for [both] water
supply, waste water purification and solid waste disposal projects;
however, every part of Maryland shall be included in one and only

one waste water purification service region, [and in one and only

and only solid waste disposal service region and water supply service

region OF THE SERVICE REGIONS ESTABLISHED IN THE
STATE FOR WATER SUPPLY, WASTE WATER PURIFICA-
TION, AND SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL; BUT NO PART OF THE
STATE SHALL BE INCLUDED IN MORE THAN ONE SUCH
SERVICE REGION.

5(d).

As soon as possible after the designation of a service region, the
Service shall cause surveys, plans, studies, and estimates to be made
and shall, after consultation with the municipalities located within
the service region, prepare a five-year plan for each service region
for the most effective and economical means of providing water
supply, waste water purification and solid waste disposal projects.
The five-year plans shall give due consideration to the need for water