In addition to the power conferred upon municipal corporations under section 727.01 of the Revised Code to levy and collect special assessments, the legislative authority of a municipal corporation may require the installation of sewer or water connections and assess the cost thereof as provided in this section.

Whenever the legislative authority of a municipal corporation deems it necessary, in view of contemplated street paving or as a sanitary regulation, that sewer or water connections or both be installed, the legislative authority shall cause written notice thereof to be given to the owner of each lot or parcel of land to which such connections are to be made, which notice shall state the number and the character of connections required.

The notice under this section shall be served by the clerk of the legislative authority, or a person designated by such clerk, upon the owners of the lots or parcels of land to which such connections are to be made in the same manner as service of summons in civil cases, or by certified mail addressed to such owner at his last known address or to the address to which tax bills are sent, or by a combination of the foregoing methods. If it appears by the return of service or the return of the certified mail notice that one or more of such owners cannot be found, such owners shall be served by publication of the notice once in a newspaper of general circulation within the municipal corporation. The return of the person serving the notice or a certified copy thereof or a returned receipt for notice forwarded by certified mail accepted by the addressee or anyone purporting to act for him shall be prima-facie evidence of the service of notice under this section.

If said connections are not installed within thirty days from the date of service of such notice, the work may be done by the municipal corporation and the cost thereof together with a forfeiture of five per cent, assessed against the lots and lands for which such connections are made.

Effective Date: 01-01-1962 .