A district of less than 100 acres and situated adjacent to the Stockton Ship Channel may acquire, construct, operate, maintain, repair, and improve lands, works, and facilities for the collection, treatment, and disposal of sewage and waste; herein called sanitation, and perform all matters germane thereto; provided, that no district may exercise any of the powers conferred by this section unless a petition approving the exercise of such powers is signed by a majority of the voters within the district and submitted to the district. In such event, it shall cause to be prepared and approved a plan therefor and prepare an estimate of the costs thereof, and may modify, change, or adopt a new, supplemental, or additional plan and estimate. The plan and estimate may include properties, works, and facilities already existing, or in the course of acquisition or construction, and payments therefor may be made to the landowner owning same, or to his legal representative. Such plan shall be reported and may be financed in the same manner as a plan for reclamation of district lands pursuant to this division.
Because of the recreational uses being made of the smaller islands in the vicinity of the improved Stockton Ship Channel, in order to protect the quality of the water, the Legislature finds and declares that it is necessary that reclamation districts of less than 100 acres and situated adjacent to the Stockton Ship Channel be able to exercise sanitation powers. Such circumstances are not generally applicable to reclamation districts. It is therefore declared that a general law cannot be made applicable and that the enactment of this section as special legislation applicable only to such districts is necessary.