1444                               Laws of Maryland                        [Ch. 782

demnation with respect thereto, but before any part of the purchase
price is paid, other than a nominal sum of money to bind the agree-
ment, it shall be the duty of the vendor or agent to furnish a state-
ment to said Commission setting forth all names and addresses of
persons having any interest or claims against said property what-
soever, which shall be verified by an oath in writing. Thereupon it
shall be the duty of said Commission to notify personally or by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, all persons
having any interest whatsoever in said property, and in addition
thereto the Commission shall give three weeks⁹ notice of its intention
to purchase said property in a newspaper or newspapers published
within said County where the property is located, and each person
having any claim whatsoever against said property shall file his, her,
or its claim with said Commission on or before the expiration date
mentioned in said notice, at which time any and all persons will be
heard and their rights determined by the Commission, which said
hearing shall be final. From and after payment to the proper parties
of the agreed purchase price, or other amounts found to be due by the
Commission as aforesaid, the Commission shall be authorized to take
possession of, maintain and operate said system, whether private or
municipal, as part of its general system, and from the date of such
payment all properties along the line of any water main or sewer
of the system as acquired shall stand in the same relation, bear the
same benefit assessment, and be subject to the same regulations and
penalties as though the system so acquired had been constructed and
put into operation by the Commission under the provisions of this
sub-title; provided, however, that no building or premises actually
connected in an adequate manner with the said acquired system at the
time of its purchase shall be required to pay any connection charge.
Whenever there is in existence a privately owned water supply or
sewerage system which in the judgment of the Commission is unfit,
as a whole or in part, for incorporation with the Commission's sys-
tem, the Commission shall disregard the existence of said system or
unfit part thereof and extend its system to serve the area tributary
to the existing system or unfit part thereof, and all the provisions
of this sub-title relating to systems constructed by the Commission
shall apply to said extension. Any municipality whose system is
acquired by the Commission, whether by purchase or condemnation,
is hereby authorized to use the amount paid to it for said system for
the purchase or redemption of any bonds or debt which may be out-
standing against the same or the Commission may as a part of the
purchase price of said system, assume the payment of any such out-
standing bonds. The Commission shall not purchase any existing
water mains, sewers or systems, in whole or in part, which are im-
properly constructed or are not of sufficient capacity or were con-
structed without proper authority from the State Department of
Health since the passage of the law requiring the same.

598. After the passage of this sub-title, whenever the county or
the property owners or residents of any locality in a District shall
desire a water supply, sewerage or drainage system, or part thereof,
to be constructed in that county or locality, and the Commission shall
decide that it is inexpedient or impracticable at that time, owing to
the remoteness from its general system or other causes, to build such
system, such county or persons may build and operate said system at
its or their own expense, but it shall be constructed under plans and
specifications prepared by the Commission and under its supervision,