Section 74-2616 - Duties of department of health and environment transferred to water office and its director; continuation of rules and regulations and orders and directives(a) On July 1, 1981, all of the powers and duties of the department of health and environment and the secretary of health and environment relating to water resource planning functions are hereby transferred to and conferred and imposed upon, respectively, the Kansas water office and the director of the Kansas water office established by this act.(b) The Kansas water office and the director of the Kansas water office shall be the successor in every way, respectively, to the powers and duties of the department of health and environment and the secretary of health and environment relating to water resource planning functions in which the same were vested prior to the effective date of this act. Every act performed in the exercise of such powers, duties and functions by or under the authority of the Kansas water office or the director of the Kansas water office shall be deemed to have the same force and effect as if performed by the department of health and environment or the secretary of health and environment, respectively, in which such powers and duties were vested prior to the effective date of this act.(c) Whenever the department of health and environment, or words of like effect, is referred to or designated by a statute, contract or other document in relation to water resource planning functions, such reference shall be deemed to apply to the Kansas water office established by this act.(d) Whenever the secretary of health and environment, or words of like effect, is referred to or designated by a statute, contract or other document in relation to water resource planning functions, such reference shall be deemed to apply to the director of the Kansas water office established by this act.(e) All rules and regulations of the department of health and environment relating to water resource planning functions in existence on the effective date of this act shall continue to be effective and shall be deemed to be duly adopted rules and regulations of the Kansas water office established by this act until revised, amended, revoked or nullified pursuant to law.(f) All orders and directives of the department of health and environment or the secretary of health and environment relating to water resource planning functions in existence on the effective date of this act shall continue to be effective and shall be deemed to be orders and directives of the Kansas water office and the director of the Kansas water office established by this act, respectively, until revised, amended or nullified pursuant to law.(g) On the effective date of this act, the Kansas water office shall succeed to whatever right, title or interest the department of health and environment or the secretary of health and environment has acquired in any real property in this state relating to water resource planning functions, and the office shall hold the same for and in the name of the state of Kansas. On and after the effective date of this act, whenever any statute, contract, deed or other document concerns the power or authority of the department of health and environment or the secretary of health and environment to acquire, hold or dispose of real property or any interest therein relating to water resource planning functions, the Kansas water office shall succeed to such power or authority.(h) The Kansas water office and the director of the Kansas water office established by this act, respectively, shall be continuations of the water resource planning functions of the department of health and environment and of the secretary of health and environment.L. 1981, ch. 302, § 4; July 1.