No person supplying or proposing to supply water to any other person shall have the power to condemn lands, water or water privileges for any new or additional source of ground or surface water until that person has first submitted to the department an application for approval to divert the source of the water and the department has approved the application subject to such conditions as it may determine to be necessary to protect the public health and welfare.
N.J.S. § 58:1A-12