§ 15.16. Enforcement of connections with water [or sewer] system; record book for water and sewerage connections.

Whenever it shall become necessary, in the opinion of the city council that any premises now occupied or which may hereafter be occupied should be connected with the water and/or sanitary sewer system of the city, and the owner or agent of such premises shall fail to make such connection voluntarily, at his own expense, or neglect to do so, the city council of the city shall have the right and power to enforce such connection in [the] manner and form following: The city council shall cause a notice to be served in writing upon the owner of such building or premises or his agent and if neither the owner nor agent can be located, then a notice placed conspicuously upon the premises itself shall be sufficient for such purpose, designating a time within which such owner is required to make such connection with the waterworks and/or sanitary sewer system of the city, and if at the expiration of the time designated in such notice such owner or agent shall have failed, refused or neglected to make such connection or to give satisfactory proof to the city council of his purpose and intention so to do within a reasonable time, the city council may cause such connections with the waterworks and/or sanitary sewer system of the city to be made by and under the supervision and direction of the director of public works of the City of Wilmington, subject to the supervision and control of the city manager as to cost of the same, and shall pay the cost of making such connection and the cost thereof, furnished by the city manager, shall be entered by the [city clerk] in a book to be designated "Water and Sewerage Connections," which book shall be kept by him and be preserved as a record in his office for public examination, and the amount of such costs from the time of the completion of such work and the entry thereof on such book shall be and constitute a lien upon the property whereon such connections were made, of equal dignity to taxes, and shall be collected in manner and form as hereinafter provided.

(Sess. Laws 1981, Ch. 374, § 1(1))