§ 42-64-7.8 - Sewer treatment facilities, connections, sewer user fees, charges and assessments.
SECTION 42-64-7.8
§ 42-64-7.8 Sewer treatment facilities,connections, sewer user fees, charges and assessments. – (a) The Rhode Island economic development corporation shall have full andcomplete authority to limit, deny, or cause appropriate direct or indirectconnections to be made between any building or property located in the QuonsetPoint/Davisville Industrial Park, or from any location outside the boundariesof the Quonset Point/Davisville Park and discharging into the corporation'ssewage treatment facility. The corporation shall prescribe those rules andregulations for sewer connections that in the opinion of the corporation arenecessary and appropriate for the maintenance and operation of the sewertreatment facility. No person shall make any connection from any structure toany sewer or appurtenance thereto discharging to the sewage treatment facilitywithout first being granted a written permit from the corporation in accordancewith its rules and regulations. The Rhode Island economic developmentcorporation shall have full and complete power and authority to compel anyperson within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park, for the purpose ofsewage disposal, to establish a direct connection on the property of theindividual, firm, partnership or corporation, or at the boundary thereof to thecorporation's sewage treatment facility. These connections shall be made at theexpense of the individual, firm, partnership or corporation. The term"appurtenance" as used herein shall be construed to include adequate pumpingfacilities, whenever the pumping facilities shall be necessary to deliversewage to the sewage treatment facility.
(b) The Rhode Island economic development corporation shallassess any person having a direct or indirect connection to the QuonsetPoint/Davisville Industrial Park sewage treatment facility the reasonablecharges for the use, operation, maintenance and improvements to the facility.
(c) The Rhode Island economic development corporation shallproceed under the provisions of this chapter to collect the fees, charges andassessments from any individual, firm, partnership or corporation so assessed.Each entity so assessed shall pay the fees, charges, or assessments within thetime frame prescribed by the rules and regulations of the corporation. TheRhode Island economic development corporation may collect the fees, charges andassessments in the same manner in which taxes are collected by municipalities,with no additional fees, charges, assessments or penalties (other than thoseprovided for in chapter 9 of title 44). All unpaid charges shall be a lien uponthe real estate of the individual, firm, partnership or corporation. The lienshall be filed in the records of land evidence for the city or town in whichthe property is located and the corporation shall simultaneously with thefiling of the lien give notice to the property owner. Owners of propertysubject to a lien for unpaid charges are entitled to a hearing within fourteen(14) days of the recording of the lien.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (c), theRhode Island economic development corporation is authorized to terminate thewater supply service of any individual, firm, partnership or corporation forthe nonpayment of sewer user fees, charges and assessments. The corporationshall notify the user of termination of water supply at least forty-eight (48)hours prior to ceasing service. The corporation may assess any individual,firm, partnership or corporation any fees, charges and assessments affiliatedwith the shut off and restoration of service.