1070                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 484

WHENEVER THE DEPARTMENT IS REQUIRED TO UPGRADE
TREATMENT FACILITIES IN AN EXISTING SANITARY DIS-
TRICT, THE DEPARTMENT, MAY, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PAYING THE INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL OF THE BONDS
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR SUCH PURPOSE IS
HEREBY EMPOWERED TO ESTABLISH AND COLLECT AN
ADDITIONAL PROPER AND REASONABLE CHARGE UPON
A FRONT FOOT BASIS IN SAID DISTRICT AS IN THIS SUB-
TITLE PROVIDED. The amount of the charge per front foot for
each class of property for both water mains and sewers may be re-
duced from time to time by the [commission] Department in its
discretion, if costs and conditions are deemed by it to justify such
reduction. Said benefit charge shall be paid annually by all properties
located as above specified, for a period of years co-extensive with the
period of maturity of the bonds out of the proceeds of which such
construction was done.

(e)  The [commission] Department shall at any time permit a
connection with a water main or sewer by the property owner whose
property does not abut on said water main or sewer and who has
not previously thereto paid a benefit charge for the construction of
said water main or sewer, provided, [said commission] the Depart-
ment shall classify said property and determine a front foot charge
to be paid by said property owner as though his or her property
abutted upon said water main or sewer; and in the event of such
connection being made, said property owner and said property as
to all charges, rates and benefits shall stand in every respect in the
same position as if the said property abutted upon a water main
or sewer.

(f)  All benefit assessments shall be payable at the office of the
county treasurer immediately upon being levied, and shall be over-
due and in default after sixty (60) days from that day, at which
time the [commission] Department may proceed to enforce payment
thereof; and the said benefit assessments shall bear interest at the
rate of one-half of one per centum per month from and after the
time said benefit assessments are in default.

(g)  The annual benefit assessment or other charges as above spe-
cified shall be a first lien upon the property against which they
are assessed until paid, any statute of limitations to the contrary
notwithstanding, subject only to prior state and county taxes, and
if any property be sold for state and/or county taxes or both by
the treasurer of said county; and if after sale there is a surplus
after all costs and expenses incident to such sale shall have been
paid, then the [said commission] Department upon proper petition
to the circuit court for said county shall be allowed any balance
from said surplus, and shall be a preferred lienor to the extent of
its lien; and for the purpose of giving notice to the general public as
to existing liens and charges against any property within any sanitary
district abutting upon any water or sewer main, the '[said commis-
sion] Department shall keep a public record of all names of owners
of property, locations of said property, lot numbers when of record,
and the amount of such benefit charges, water service charges or
such other charges that may become liens from time to time. Said
records shall be kept in the county seat of government and among
the land records of Cecil County, and the clerk of the circuit court
for said county shall furnish such space as may be necessary to keep