ALBERT C. RITCHIE, GOVERNOR. 985

at the office of the Commission before the actual connection
with any pipe or private property is made. One-half of
the revenue, above actual cost, derived from such charges
shall be retained by the Commission on a contingent fund
for repairs, replacements, or any extraordinary expense
in the maintenance and operation of the water supply, sewer-
age and drainage systems under its control. The remaining
half shall be applied by the Commission to the payment of
the bonded debt as hereinafter provided.

Section 13. And be it further enacted,, That for the pur-
pose of providing funds for maintaining, repairing and oper-
ating its water supply, sewerage and drainage systems, in-
cluding overhead expense and proper depreciation allowance,
together with funds for making such payments as may be made
to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia as herein-
after specified, said Commission shall be empowered and di-
rected to make such service rates as it may deem necessary,
chargeable against all properties having a connection with
any water pipe under its ownership. Said rates shall be uni-
form throughout the Sanitary District, but subject to change
from time to time, as necessary, except that the charge for
water used in Gaithersburg and Washington Grove, until such
time as they are brought within the general system, shall be
based upon the actual cost of supplying water to said com-
munities. The rates for service shall consist of a minimum
or ready-to-serve charge, which shall be based upon the size
of the meter on the water connection leading to the property,
and of a charge for water used, which shall be based upon the
amount of water passing the meter during the period between
the last two readings, said meter being required to be placed
on each water connection, by, and at the sole expense of the
Commission. Bills for the amount of the charges as above
specified shall be sent monthly, quarterly or semi-annually,
as the Commission may determine, to each property served,
and shall be thereupon payable at the office of the Commis-
sion; and if any bill shall remain unpaid after 30 days from
date of sending, the Commission shall after written notice,
to be left upon the premises or mailed to the last known ad-
dress of the owner, turn off the water from the property in
question and it shall not be turned on again until said bill
shall have been paid. If any bill shall remain unpaid for 60
days after being sent out by the Commission, it shall be col-
lectible against the owner of the property served, in the same