46-235.01.

Public water supplier; appropriation for induced ground water recharge; hearing; evidence of beneficial use; priority date; vesting.

A public water supplier which has received an appropriation for induced ground water recharge pursuant to section 46-235 may, from time to time and within twenty-five years after the priority assigned pursuant to section 46-233, petition the department for a hearing to present evidence showing that all or part of the original projection for additional water needs specified pursuant to subsection (2) of section 46-233 corresponds with the actual use. To the extent the public water supplier is making beneficial use of all or a portion of the water projected in the original application, the right to use such additional water shall vest and the priority date of such anticipated water use shall date back to the priority date assigned pursuant to section 46-233. A public water supplier may not request such a hearing at intervals of less than five years for each approved application.