980                              LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 699

[commission] Commission, in the name of the district, may sue, or
file a bill in equity to enforce said liens against the owner of record
at the time said suit is filed or any owner of record between said
dates, and publication thereon shall be notice to all persons having
any interest in said property.

663.

For the purpose of providing funds for maintenance, repairing
and operating its water or sewerage systems, and for its operation
and other expenses, including proper depreciation allowances, and
for the repayment of advances authorized by Section 649 (e) of
this sub-title and for interest on, and the retirement of bonds as
specified in this sub-title, the [c] Commission is hereby empowered
to make a ready-to-serve charge on water, a charge for the upkeep
of sewers and a sewer service charge, all of such charges being
chargeable against all properties having a connection with any
water pipe or sewer pipe under its supervision or owned by the [d]
District. The ready-to-serve charge for water, charge for the upkeep
on sewers and charge for sewer service shall be uniform throughout
a sanitary district, subject to such changes from time to time as may
be necessary. The charge for the upkeep on sewers shall be reason-
able and collected annually in the same manner as benefit assess-
ments are collected and shall be a first lien against all property hav-
ing a connection with any sewer pipe under its supervision or owned
by the [d] District. The rates for water 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 through 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 [c] Commission.
If the [c] Commission at any time shall not have meters available
to install in all the properties in a given locality that are connected
to the system, then a flat rate shall be charged all properties in which
meters have not yet been installed, which rate shall be uniform in
each sanitary district and based upon the amount of water used. Bills
for the amount of the charges as above specified shall be sent quarter-
ly or semiannually, as the [c] Commission may determine, to each
property served, and shall be thereupon payable at the office of the
[c] Commission; and if any bill remains unpaid after thirty days
from date of sending, the [c] Commission shall, after written notice
left upon the premises or mailed to the last known address of the
owner, turn off water from the property in question, and the
water shall not be turned on again until said bill shall have been
paid, including a penalty of five dollars ($5.00). If any bill shall re-
main unpaid for sixty days after being sent by the Commission, it
shall be collectible, together with a penalty of $5.00, from the owner
of the property served in the same manner fas other debts] , and
subject to the same interest, as taxes are collectible in the county or
counties in which the sanitary district or sanitary districts lie and
said ready-to-serve charge, other service charges and all penalties
shall be a first lien against said property. The sewer service charge
shall be made on whatever reasonable basis the Commission selects
and may be collected on an annual, semiannual or quarterly basis.
Neither the dates of collection nor the intervals between such dates
need be uniform throughout a sanitary district. If any bill for such