Prior to the submission of an application to the department for an approval and a certification of necessity, an applicant water district shall:

(1) Notify all the contiguous and affected sewer entities in the area in which the water district is proposing to construct and operate a sewer system that the applicant water district will submit an application for an approval and a certification of necessity, and that the department will consider all written comments and objections submitted to the department from any contiguous and affected sewer entity if the same written comments and objections are received by the department before a date which will be specified by the department.

(2) Notify the county commissioners, county health officer, county engineer, county planning commission and the county boundary review board, if any, in the county of the proposed service area, that the applicant water district will submit an application for an approval and certification of necessity and the department will consider all written comments and objections submitted to the department by any of the same if the written comments and objections are received by the department before a date which will be specified by the department.

(3) The dates for inclusion in the notification provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) hereof will be furnished by the department upon the request of any applicant water district to the department.