Whenever any person, persons, partnership or corporation desire to lay, maintain and operate water mains and laterals and equipment in or along any streets, public highways and lands not in an incorporated city for the purpose of furnishing water for general use to the residents of the adjacent land, the same may present to the county commissioners of the county in which said streets, public highways and lands are located, a petition praying for the right to lay, maintain, and operate water mains, laterals and equipment in or along the streets or public highways located within certain described limits and boundaries, which shall be fully set forth in said petition.
K.S.A. 19-2618