43 U.S.C. § 499b

Whenever a municipal corporation or other organization to which water for municipal, domestic, or industrial use is furnished or distributed under a contract entered into with the United States pursuant to the Federal reclamation laws so requests, the Secretary of the Interior is authorized to transfer to it or its nominee the care, operation, and maintenance of the works by which such water supply is made available or such part of those works as, in his judgment, is appropriate in the circumstances, subject to such terms and conditions as he may prescribe.