SEC. 2. Powers and general functions of the District. - The powers, functions, and activities of the Metropolitan Water District of Manila shall be the following:
(a) To have continuous succession under its corporate name until otherwise provided by law;
(b) To prescribe its by-laws;
(c) To adopt and use a seal and alter it at its pleasure;
(d) To sue and be sued in any court;
(e) To construct, maintain, and operate mains, pipes, water reservoirs, machinery, and other waterworks for the purpose of supplying water to the inhabitants of the District, both for domestic and other purposes; to purify the source of supply, regulate the control and use, and prevent the waste of water; and to fix and provide for the collections of rents therefor;
(f) To construct, maintain, and operate such systems of sanitary sewers as may be necessary for the proper sanitation of the District, and to charge and collect such sums for construction and rates for this service as may be determined by the Board to be equitable and just;
(g) To construct all such storm-drains as may be needed in the city of Manila and requested by the city, and to maintain and operate all existing drains, the city of Manila to appropriate sufficient funds for this purpose;
(h) To construct, maintain, and operate electric power and light system for the use of the Government, if deemed advantageous to the District, and utilize for this purpose all the water power of the Angat River; to fix such rents and collect such dues as may be deemed just and proper, and to sell the surplus power;
(i) To acquire, purchase, hold, transfer, sell, lease, rent, mortgage, encumber, and otherwise dispose of real and personal property, including rights and franchises, within or without the Metropolitan District, as authorized by the purpose for which the district was created and reasonably and necessarily required for the transaction of the lawful business of the same, unless otherwise provided in this Act.
(j) To construct works across, or otherwise, any stream, watercourse, canal, ditch, flume, street, avenue, highway or railway, as the location of said works may require, provided such works be constructed in such manner as to afford security for life and property, and provided, further, that the stream, watercourse, canal, ditch, flume, street, avenue, highway or railway so crossed or intersected be restored to their former state as near as may be, or in a manner not to have impaired unnecessarily their usefulness. Every person or entity whose right of way is crossed or intersected by said works shall not obstruct the forming of such crossings or intersections and shall grant the District the proper authority for the execution of such work. The District is hereby given the right of way to locate, construct, and maintain such works over and through any of the lands which are now or may be the property of the Government of the Philippine Islands or any of its branches and political subdivisions.
(k) To exercise the right of eminent domain for the purposes for which the District was created, in the manner provided by law for condemnation proceedings by the Insular, provincial, and municipal governments.
(I) To enact such regulations as may be necessary for the sanitary protection of the watershed and the reservoirs and water mains, and for the proper operation of the sanitary sewers, subject to the approval of the Philippine Health Service; to enact regulations for the protection of the water and sewer service, and of the light service, as soon as established, and to fix penalties for violations of the regulations enacted under this subsection which shall not in any case exceed two hundred pesos line or six months imprisonment, or both, in the discretion of the court.
(m) When essential to the proper administration of its corporate affairs or necessary for the proper transaction of its business or to carry out the purposes for which it was organized, to contract indebtedness and issue bonds, subject to the approval of the Secretary of Finance. The bonded indebtedness of the District, of all classes, shall not at any time exceed twelve million pesos, in addition to the bonds mentioned in section eight, and the issue thereof shall be subject to the conditions set forth in section five of this Act; and
(n) To carry out the business for which it was organized and exercise such powers and do such things as may be reasonably necessary to carry out the purpose for which it was organized.
