The amount of such debt service and maintenance and operation costs to be raised in each improvement district established under this chapter shall be paid by an ad valorem tax, to the extent that such payment is not paid by one or more of the following alternative methods:
(a)
Payment of funds to the district from water revenues or other income of the retail water purveyors within each such improvement district pursuant to a contract therefor, which shall constitute a lien upon such revenues and income. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such payment shall not be used unless and until a declaration of a majority of purveyors, stating their intention to use a specified amount of water service revenues or other income as such an alternative method of payment is filed with the board and there is shown to the satisfaction of the board that the financial condition of such purveyor reasonably will assure such payment. Such payment shall be made to the district on or before the date on which it would have received funds if it levied an ad valorem tax in lieu of such alternative method of payment.
If any such purveyor fails to make any or all of such payment, the amount of such delinquency, plus a penalty of 8 percent per annum, shall be paid by such defaulting purveyor through appropriate proceedings brought by the district.
(b)
Collection of the utility tax pursuant to Sections 72072 to 72072.12, inclusive.
(c)
Water standby or availability charges in any such improvement district fixed pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 71630) of Chapter 2 of Part 5 of this division.
(d)
Water revenues of the district derived from sales of water within each such improvement district pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 71610) of Chapter 2 of Part 5 of this division.
The board shall not use any of such alternative methods of payment if a written protest against such use is filed with the board, prior to the conclusion of the hearing held pursuant to this chapter, by the retail water purveyors within each such improvement district providing the majority of retail water service within such improvement district by volume and number of services.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such a written protest is filed, the board may nonetheless use any such alternative means of payment, other than that specified in subdivision (a), upon the affirmative vote of four directors.