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Show SOUTH DAKOTA 679 and, as a result of a 1971 amendment, after December 31, 1973 40 all public waters must be designated as, and meet the requirements of, class "A" waters. No new pollutants can be discharged into class "A" waters without obtaining a permit from the Committee, and the permit shall prescribe the standard of quality required of the dis- charge to maintain the receiving water as class "A."41 The committee, after notice and public hearing, is authorized to establish standards of water quality,42 and to specify a reasonable time within which persons discharging wastes into class "A" waters are to comply with such standards.43 Extensions of time for compli- ance may be granted in certain instances.44 The committee is em- powered to investigate sources of pollution of class "A" waters and conduct an administrative hearing on the matter. If it is found that the discharge does not meet the class "A" standard, an order may be issued directing the violator to cease the pollution within the time specified by the committee.45 The committee may initiate court action to secure compliance with its orders or with the provisions of the act,46 and criminal penalties are also provided where there has been a violation of the act or any order of the committee.47 A recent amendment to the act allows for State financial contributions to aid in the construction of public water pollution control projects.48 B. OTHER PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES A variety of special improvement districts authorized to construct water projects or sponsor State or Federal projects are authorized by statute. These include irrigation districts,49 drainage and conserv- ancy districts,50 and watershed districts.51 Most have limited taxing powers, although none can obligate the State. All special districts are created through local petition, public hearings, and a favorable vote of the electorate (except in the case of a watershed district which may be created through a 60-percent petition in lieu of election). In a recent decision, the court was required to review at length the statutory steps required to organize an irrigation district, because the validity of the organization of a district was attacked by certain landowners in the district.52 Of special concern to the court was a section of the statute which provided that no person was qualified to vote at the special election unless he was a resident of the State owning not less than 10 acres of land in the district. The question was whether this provision violated the due process clause of the 14th amendment to the Federal Constitution. The court, noting that «Sec. 48-25-5. 41 Sec. 46-25-6. 42 Sec. 46-25-8. «Sec. 46-25-9. "Sec. 46-25-13.1. « Sees. 46-25-10 to 46-25-13. «Sec. 46-25-15. «Sec. 46-25-16. « Sees. 46-25-18 to 46-25-22. « Sees. 46-12-1 to 46-12-89. 60 Sees. 46-17-1 to 30 and sees. 46-16-1 to 46-16-38; conservancy sub-districts are also authorized by sees. 46-18-1 to 46-18-48, 61 Sees. 46-24-1 to 46-24-84. ^ Ryan v. Board of County Comm'rs, 84 S.D. 661, 175 N.W. 2d 902 (1970K |