BLAIR LEE III, Acting Governor                           2171

purpose of constructing said systems.

(c)    Privately-owned systems shall be taken under
condemnation by the [Commission] COUNTY free and clear of
all debts and liens, but the [Commission] COUNTY shall make
a party defendant of any person, firm, or corporation having
any recorded lien or encumbrance against the same, and the
Circuit Court may determine the respective amounts due the
defendants; and from and after payment into Court or to the
proper parties as hereinabove provided, the [Commission]
COUNTY is authorized to take possession of, maintain, and
operate the system, which shall be subject to the same
regulations and penalties as though the system so acquired
had been constructed and put into operation by the
[Commission] COUNTY under the provisions of this subtitle;
provided, however, that no building or premises actually
connected in an adequate manner with [the] AN acquired WATER
OR SEWERAGE system shall be required to pay any connection
charge.

(d)    whenever there is in existence a privately—owned
water supply, [or] sewerage OR DRAINAGE system which in the
judgment of the [Commission] BOARD is unsuitable in whole or
in part, for incorporation into the [Commission's] COUNTY'S
system, the [Commission] BOARD may disregard the existence
of said system or unsuitable part thereof and extend its
system to serve the area tributary to the existing system or
unsuitable part thereof, and all the provisions of this
subtitle relating to systems constructed by the [Commission]
COUNTY apply thereto.

15-6.

(a) The [Commission] COUNTY may purchase or acquire
by gift any existing water, sewerage, or drainage systems,
or parts thereof, including those owned, operated by, or
serving any municipality, or any land, structure, buildings,
stream bed, water rights, or watershed, either in fee or as
an easement, which in its judgment is desirable or necessary
for the purpose of providing adequate water, sewerage or
drainage service or [either] ANY OF THEM for the residents
of the [county] SERVICE AREA. Any such purchase [is subject
to the approval of the Board and] may be made upon such
terms and conditions as may be agreed upon, but before any
part of the purchase price is paid, other than a nominal sum
of money to bind the agreement, it is the duty of the vendor
or agent to furnish a statement to [said Commission] THE
BOARD setting forth all names and addresses of persons
having any interest or claims against the property
whatsoever, which shall be verified by an oath in writing.

(b) Thereupon it is the duty of the [Commission]
BOARD to notify personally or by certified or registered
mail, return receipt requested, all persons having any
interest whatever in the property, and in addition the
[Commission] BOARD shall give three weeks' notice of its
intention to purchase the property, in a newspaper or
newspapers published within the [county] SERVICE AREA where