1776

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 289

(A)  The District may acquire any private water system or
sewerage system deemed by it necessary to the operation of any
[such] system owned or operated by it in a sub-district, by gift,
purchase, lease, or condemnation[, and any such system,]. IT MAY
ACQUIRE ANY publicly or municipally owned[,] SYSTEM by gift,
purchase or lease, but not by condemnation[, but before].

(B)  BEFORE any part of the purchase price is paid, other
than a nominal sum of money to bind the agreement, [it shall be
the duty of] the vendor or agent [to] SHALL furnish a statement
to [said] THE Commission [setting] THAT SETS forth all names and
addresses of persons having any interest or claims against [said]
THE property [whatsoever], which shall be verified by [an] A
WRITTEN oath [in writing]. [Thereupon it shall be the duty of
said] THE Commission [to] SHALL notify personally or by
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, all
persons having [any] AN interest [whatsoever] in [said] THE
property.[, and in] IN addition [thereto], the Commission shall
give [three] 3 weeks' notice of its intention to purchase [said]
THE property in a newspaper or newspapers published within the
County where the property is located.

(C)  [, and each] EACH person having any claim [whatsoever]
against [said] THE property shall file his, her or its claim with
[said] THE Commission on or before the expiration date mentioned
in [said] THE notice.[, at which] AT THAT time [any and] all
persons [will] SHALL be heard and their rights determined by the
Commission, which [said hearing] shall be A final DETERMINATION
OF THOSE RIGHTS.

(D)  [From and after] AFTER payment to the proper parties of
the agreed purchase price[,] or other amounts found to be due by
the Commission [as aforesaid], the Commission [shall be
authorized to] MAY take possession [of], maintain, and operate
[said] THE system, whether private or municipal, as part of its
general system.[, and from] FROM the date of [such] THE payment
all properties along the line of any water main or sewer of the
system as acquired shall stand in the same relation, bear the
same special benefit assessment, and be subject to the same
regulations and penalties as though the system so acquired had
been constructed and put into operation by the Commission under
the provisions of this subtitle.[; provided, however, that no] A
building or premises actually connected in an adequate manner
with the [said] acquired system at the time of its purchase
[shall] MAY NOT be required to pay any connection charge.

(E)  Whenever [there is in existence] a privately owned
water supply or sewerage system EXISTS which [in the judgment of]
the Commission [is] JUDGES TO BE TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY UNFIT[, as
a whole or in part,] for incorporation with the Commission's
system, the Commission shall disregard the existence of [said]
THE system or THE unfit part [thereof] and extend its system to
serve the area tributary to the existing system or THE unfit
part.