§ 42-64-7.8. Sewer treatment facilities, connections, sewer user fees, charges and assessments. (a) The Rhode Island commerce corporation shall have full and complete authority to limit, deny, or cause appropriate direct or indirect connections to be made between any building or property located in the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park, or from any location outside the boundaries of the Quonset Point/Davisville Park and discharging into the corporation's sewage treatment facility. The corporation shall prescribe those rules and regulations for sewer connections that in the opinion of the corporation are necessary and appropriate for the maintenance and operation of the sewer treatment facility. No person shall make any connection from any structure to any sewer or appurtenance thereto discharging to the sewage treatment facility without first being granted a written permit from the corporation in accordance with its rules and regulations. The Rhode Island commerce corporation shall have full and complete power and authority to compel any person within the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park, for the purpose of sewage disposal, to establish a direct connection on the property of the individual, firm, partnership or corporation, or at the boundary thereof to the corporation's sewage treatment facility. These connections shall be made at the expense of the individual, firm, partnership or corporation. The term "appurtenance" as used herein shall be construed to include adequate pumping facilities, whenever the pumping facilities shall be necessary to deliver sewage to the sewage treatment facility.

(b) The Rhode Island commerce corporation shall assess any person having a direct or indirect connection to the Quonset Point/Davisville Industrial Park sewage treatment facility the reasonable charges for the use, operation, maintenance and improvements to the facility.

(c) The Rhode Island commerce corporation shall proceed under the provisions of this chapter to collect the fees, charges and assessments from any individual, firm, partnership or corporation so assessed. Each entity so assessed shall pay the fees, charges, or assessments within the time frame prescribed by the rules and regulations of the corporation. The Rhode Island commerce corporation may collect the fees, charges and assessments in the same manner in which taxes are collected by municipalities, with no additional fees, charges, assessments or penalties (other than those provided for in chapter 9 of title 44). All unpaid charges shall be a lien upon the real estate of the individual, firm, partnership or corporation. The lien shall be filed in the records of land evidence for the city or town in which the property is located and the corporation shall simultaneously with the filing of the lien give notice to the property owner. Owners of property subject 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), the Rhode Island commerce corporation is authorized to terminate the water supply service of any individual, firm, partnership or corporation for the nonpayment of sewer user fees, charges and assessments. The corporation shall 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 affiliated with the shut off and restoration of service.

History of Section. (P.L. 1997, ch. 39, § 2; P.L. 1997, ch. 62, § 2; P.L. 2013, ch. 243, § 3; P.L. 2013, ch. 490, § 3.)