J. MILLARD TAWES, GOVERNOR                          1275

the exercise of its discretion, should determine that the water sup-
ply should be conserved, the consumers, upon notice from the said
Commission, its agents or employees, or upon notice published in
one newspaper published in [said county] the County for one in-
sertion, shall comply with any order passed by said Commission to
conserve the water supply. Any violation of said order shall be a
misdemeanor punishable under Section 551 of this sub-title, and in
addition to the penalty prescribed the Commission may turn off said
water supply of any person violating said order at any time with-
out further notice. No private or semi-public water supply or sewer-
age installation, intended for use of two or more buildings or
premises, shall be constructed in any [sanitary district] sub-district
without the person, firm or corporation doing the work having first
obtained a permit from the Commission and paid a reasonable charge
therefor, and such plant shall then be installed, maintained and op-
erated under such rules and regulations as the Commission may re-
quire or devise. The Commission shall have full and complete juris-
diction over all fire hydrants connected with its water system and
no person, firm or corporation shall operate, use or make connection
with the same without the written authority of the Commission,
excepting that no restrictions shall apply to any bona fide fire de-
partment in the discharge of its duties. No person, firm or corporation
shall tamper with, deface, damage or obstruct any fire hydrant. Any
violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be a misde-
meanor punishable under Section 551 of this sub-title.

Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That Sections 543 and 544 of
the Code of Public Local Laws of Washington County (1957 Edi-
tion), being Article 22 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Mary-
land, title "Washington County", sub-title "Sanitary Districts", as
said Sections were enacted by Chapter 694 of the Laws of Maryland
of 1957, be, and they are hereby, repealed, and that two new Sections
of said Code be and they hereby are enacted in the place and stead of
the Sections so repealed, said new Sections to be designated respec-
tively 543 and 544, and to read as follows:

543. Assessments in Aid of Construction.

Whenever the Commission shall determine that it is not financially
feasible or economical to pay the entire cost of a sewerage system
from the proceeds of bonds issued under Sections 534 or 535 of this
sub-title, it may impose upon, and collect from, all properties in a
sub-district, connected or to be connected with such sewerage system,
an assessment to pay for a portion of the cost of the facilities in such
sewerage system which, in the judgment of the Commission, are
necessary for the operation thereof and which serve or will serve
all properties connected therewith, including sewerage treatment
plants, disposal fields, lagoons, pumping stations, outfall, tank and
intercepting sewers. Said assessment shall be known as an assess-
ment in aid of construction, shall be uniform in amount as to all
properties in the sub-district, shall be imposed upon all properties
connected with said sewerage system at the time of assessment and
on each property which may be so connected thereafter, shall be
payable in a lump sum or in equal annual instalments over a period
not exceeding five years, with interest on unpaid balances at a rate
not exceeding six per centum (6%) per annum, shall have the same
lien and priority as is provided for special benefit assessments in