THEODORE R. McKELDIN, GOVERNOR                   677

title "Public Works", sub-title "Sewer and Water", to authorize
the equitable apportionment of the cost of certain water and sewer
projects among the property owners in any drainage areas.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland,
That Section 346 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Baltimore
County (1948 Edition) title "Public Works", sub-title "Sewer and
Water", be and it is hereby repealed and re-enacted with amendments
to read as follows:

346. The Commissioners from time to time shall cause surveys,
studies, plans, specifications and estimates to be made for water
supply, sewerage and storm water drainage systems in all those parts
of the Baltimore County Metropolitan District in which there is, in
their judgment, a need for water supply, sewerage or drainage. When-
ever plans shall have been completed for a water supply, sewerage
or storm water drainage system, or any part thereof, in any part of
the District the Commissioners shall proceed to construct or cause to
be constructed such systems, or parts thereof, by contract, after public
advertisement, or by day labor, if no satisfactory contract can be
made after public advertisement, as they may deem advisable, so that
said system or systems may be constructed at a minimum cost, pro-
vided, however, that the cost of such work carried out by day labor
shall not exceed, at any time, Twenty-five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.-
00). No water or sewer lines or systems, or any part thereof, shall
be constructed, except upon the written recommendation of the Chief
Sanitary Engineer. Before making his recommendation in writing
with respect to the construction or extension of any water or sewer
lines or systems, or any parts thereof, the Chief Sanitary Engineer
shall make a thorough field inspection of the territory proposed to be
served by the new construction or extension, and shall prepare
sufficient plans upon which to make an adequate cost estimate of the
proposed construction or extension, together with conservative esti-
mates in writing of the revenues to be expected therefrom by assess-
ments and charges of any kind authorized by this Act. Such plans
and estimates shall accompany his written recommendations and shall
be filed by him in the office of the Commissioners. If said plans and
estimates fail to show that the proposed new construction or extension
will be financially self-supporting within a reasonable time after
completion, the Commissioners shall not order the construction of
said new lines or extensions, unless property owners requesting them
shall finance their cost upon a basis that will make them a perman-
ently self-supporting part of the Metropolitan District. The require-
ment that a project be financialy self-supporting shall not apply to
any exercise by the Commissioners of the general powers and au-
thority to establish, construct and maintain facilities conferred upon
them by Section 341, provided the Chief Sanitary Engineer finds that:
(a) the cost or expense involved in the exercise of such power and
authority is not readily or fairly susceptible of allocation among prop-
erty owners in the affected area in accordance with the terms of Sec-
tion 354, and (b) the exercise of such power and authority is for a
purpose necessary and useful to the operation or maintenance of a
water system, sewer system, or part thereof, constructed or to be
constructed in the Baltimore County Metropolitan District, and (c)
the Chief Sanitary Engineer prepares a schedule of equitable appor-
tionment of cost among the property owners in the drainage area