Kan. Stat. § 19-3537
For the purpose of gathering data and information as to the possible creation of water districts in any county as defined in K.S.A. 19-3536, to provide for the construction, operation and maintenance of water wells, water lines and other water production and distribution facilities in such proposed districts, the board may, at its discretion and upon presentation to it of a petition signed by not less than one hundred (100) persons or corporations, who shall be owners of real estate in the district sought to be created, or by the owners of at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the acreage of land in the district sought to be created, employ engineers or other skilled persons to make a preliminary survey of the territory sought to be served, determine the approximate boundary lines or limits of such district, and the feasibility of the proposed improvement and the approximate size or sizes of water wells, water lines and other facilities required, and the approximate cost of such improvements when completed.
The board may contract to pay such engineers or other skilled persons for the doing of this preliminary work a fixed fee or a fee which shall be conditioned upon and contingent upon the final petition for the doing of this work being presented to the board and allowed by it and the work done; in which case the cost of the preliminary survey shall be and become a part of the cost of the completed project. If the engineers employed to make the preliminary survey are not employed on the final survey and plans and construction work, then the board may require the engineers so employed on the final plans and construction work to reimburse the county for such amount as it may have expended on the preliminary work, and such cost thereof shall become a part of the cost of the completed project. It shall be the duty of the board to have a copy of all engineering notes, memoranda, data, plats, plans and surveys for which they pay or agree to pay directly or indirectly or conditionally, filed in the office of the county clerk.
K.S.A. 19-3537