Expenditure of funds for study and engineering of proposed projects

With the approval and the consent of the board, either the director of the Division of Environmental Protection or the commissioner of the bureau of public health, or both of them, shall expend, out of any funds available for the purpose, such moneys as are necessary for the study of any proposed water development project and may use its engineering and other forces, including consulting engineers and sanitary engineers, for the purpose of effecting such study. All such expenses incurred by the director or commissioner prior to the issuance of water development revenue bonds or notes under this article shall be paid by the director or commissioner and charged to the appropriate water development project and the director and commissioner shall keep proper records and accounts, showing the amounts so charged. Upon the sale of water development revenue bonds or notes for a water development project, the funds so expended by the director or commissioner, with the approval of the authority, in connection with such project, shall be repaid to the Division of Environmental Protection or bureau of public health from the proceeds of such bonds or notes.