North Dakota Century Code Title 40. Municipal Government § 40-33-16. Municipality may purchase water for distribution

1. Any city owning a system for the distribution of water for fire protection and other public purposes and for selling water to its inhabitants and industries, but for which the water supply is unsuitable or inadequate, may contract to purchase water at wholesale for those purposes from any person, firm, public or private corporation, or limited liability company able and willing to furnish the same, upon the terms and during the period, not exceeding forty years, as the city governing body deems appropriate. The contract must be authorized by an ordinance submitted to the voters for approval by a majority of those voting on the proposition before it takes effect. Pursuant to the ordinance and contract, the city may bind itself:

2. Notwithstanding subsection 1, contracts to purchase water from the water supply system created by the Red River valley water supply project may have a term exceeding forty years and, if executed in relation to the initial construction of the system, need not be submitted to the voters for approval.

3. If any payments under any contract are to be made solely out of net revenues, the contract may fix and prescribe the method or basis on which net revenues are to be computed.