528                             LAWS OF MARYLAND                     [CH. 361

the Commission shall construct any such system or extension thereof
only after a public hearing held jointly by the Commission and the
County Commissioners, after giving notice thereof in two newspapers
of general circulation published in Harford County at least seven
days prior to the hearing. At the hearing, plans and specifications
for the proposed improvements shall be presented together with the
estimated costs thereof and estimated revenues to be derived there-
from. In any case where a public hearing is required, the Commission
shall conduct the hearing and may proceed with the proposed im-
provements only after the County Commissioners, by at least a
majority vote following the public hearing, have approved such
proposal. The Commission may divide the sanitary district into water,
sewerage, and drainage subdistricts in such way as in its judgment
will best serve the needs of the county, and promote convenience
and economy of installation and operation, and permit the raising
of revenues and apportionment of costs to those served on an equitable
basis, and it is empowered to keep its books of account accordingly.

(b)     If the residents of any unincorporated locality in the sani-
tary district make application for a water supply, sewerage, or
drainage system, or part thereof, to be constructed in their locality,
the Commission may require the applicants to bear the reasonable
costs for any preliminary engineering studies that the Commission
deems necessary to determine whether it is feasible to construct
the improvements. Upon the receipt of such reasonable costs as
the Commission determines to be necessary to conduct the studies,
the Commission shall have the studies made and within a reasonable
time thereafter advise the applicants of the results thereof, together
with the Commission's determination with respect to the application.

(c)    Prior to construction, the Commission shall submit its plans
for projects and their financing to the County Commissioners for
their approval.

(d)    The Commission, on or before the first day of July in each
year, shall file with the County Commissioners a report on the
activities of the Metropolitan Commission during the preceding year
and shall include the plans and recommendations for the succeeding
year.

422.

For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this subtitle
the Commission may make a charge for every drainage sewer and
water connection. The funds derived from such charges may be
used for payment of principal and interest on bonds, accumulating
funds for capital improvements, for acquisition and construction of
water sewerage and drainage systems and the operation and main-
tenance thereof and for the purchase of equipment and supplies
necessary to the operation of the Commission. Connection charges
shall be established from time to time by the Commission subject
to the approval of the County Commissioners. Such charges may
be based upon such reasonable classifications as the Commissioners
may determine and such classifications may vary within any water,
sewer, or drainage system and among any such systems depending
on any special circumstances which the Commission finds exists.
The charges herein provided shall not be limited to the costs to the
Commission for making such connections. The Commission is em-