It is hereby declared to be in the public interest to foster and promote timely expenditures by municipalities for water systems, clean water projects, and solid waste management, each of which is declared to be an essential governmental function when undertaken and implemented by a municipality. It is also declared to be in the public interest to promote expenditures for certain existing privately owned public water systems and certain privately owned potable water supply systems to bring those systems into compliance with federal and State standards and to protect public health and the environment. Additionally, it is declared to be in the public interest to promote clean water projects to protect and improve the quality of waters of the State. (Added 1987, No. 75, § 1; amended 1997, No. 62, § 65, eff. June 26, 1997; 1999, No. 148 (Adj. Sess.), § 50, eff. May 24, 2000; 2007, No. 52, § 45, eff. May 28, 2007; 2015, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 24, eff. May 12, 2016; 2017, No. 185 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. May 28, 2018.)