Mo. Rev. Stat. § 247.230

The purpose of sections 247.230 to 247.670 is to provide for the establishment of political subdivisions of this state within counties to be known as metropolitan water supply districts, the function of which shall be to secure a source of water on a scale larger than is feasible for public water supply districts and cities acting alone and to sell such water at wholesale to public water supply districts and cities, towns and villages.