The Secretary shall at least annually prepare a list of projects, ranked in priority order, that are eligible for financial assistance under this subchapter. In establishing such priorities, the Secretary shall at a minimum consider the following:
(1) the quality and quantity of water supplied by the existing system;(2) any declared health hazard to be abated by the proposed project;(3) the population to be served;(4) the readiness of the project to proceed to the next planning or construction step; and(5) the consolidation of smaller water systems into new larger water systems.Added 1997, No. 62 , § 75, eff. 6/26/1997.