Section 33B. If any city, town or special district, or other existing governmental unit authorized to construct, own, operate, extend or improve abatement facilities as defined in section thirty, fails to comply with an order of the director to submit a preliminary engineering report of final engineering plans to the division for approval, the director may, with the approval of the water resources commission, act in behalf of such city, town, special district, or other existing governmental unit to prepare or cause to be prepared a preliminary engineering report or final engineering plans. Where more than one city, town or portion thereof is included in a district, the costs shall be distributed between or among such cities and towns according to a formula established by the division of water pollution control.
Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent any city, town, special district, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, or other existing governmental unit who fails to comply with an order of the director from being eligible for financial assistance from the commonwealth and from the United States government.