Chapter 060
2016 -- S 2023 SUBSTITUTE A
Enacted 06/10/2016

A N   A C T
RELATING TO THE CITY OF WARWICK -- SEWER AUTHORITY

Introduced By: Senators Walaska, and McCaffrey
Date Introduced: January 13, 2016

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 9.1, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 22 of
Chapter 254 of the Public Laws of 1962 entitled "An Act to Create a Sewer Authority for the City
of Warwick and to Authorize said City to Plan, Construct, Finance, Operate and Maintain Sewage
Works", as amended, are hereby further amended to read as follows:
     Section 1. Authority to plan, etc., sewage works; definitions; bonding authorized; sewer
charge, assessment authorized. -- The city of Warwick, is authorized and empowered, in
accordance with the provisions of this Aact, to plan, lay out, construct, finance, operate, and
maintain sewage works for a part of the whole of its territory and for such purposes to take by
eminent domain or otherwise any lands, water rights, rights-of-way, or easements, public or
private, in said Ccity necessary for accomplishing any purpose mentioned in this Aact. Such
sewage works may include sewers and sewer service connections, pumping stations, sewage
treatment works, sewage disposal works, and other works essential to the proper collection,
treatment, and disposal of the sewage of said City.
     As used in the Aact, unless the context otherwise requires:
     "Authority" means the Ssewer Aauthority authorized by this Aact.
     "Cesspool" means any buried chamber other than an on-site wastewater treatment system
(OWTS), including, but not limited to, any metal tank, perforated concrete vault, or covered
hollow or excavation, which receives discharges of sanitary sewage from a building for the
purpose of collecting solids and discharging liquids to the surrounding soil.
     "City" means the Ccity of Warwick.
     "City Ccouncil" means the city council of the Ccity of Warwick.
     "Common sewer" means a sewer in which all abutters have equal rights of entrance and
use.
     "Cooling water" shall include the clean waste water wastewater from air conditioning,
industrial cooling, condensing and similar apparatus, and from hydraulically powered equipment.
In general, cooling water will include only water which is sufficiently clean and unpolluted to
admit of being discharged, without treatment or purification, into any natural open stream or
watercourse without offense.
     "Force Mmain" means a sewer wherein sewage is moved by pressure.
     "Highways" means any state or other highway and any public street, alley, park, parkway,
driveway, bridge, or public place.
     "Industrial wastes" shall include the liquid- or water-carried wastes of any industrial
process not clearly included within the definitions of sanitary sewage, storm water, cooling water,
or seepage or subsoil drainage herein. In general, wastewaters carrying any quantity of oils,
grease, fats, abrasives, chemicals, residues of manufacturing processes, wastes from commercial
food preserving or canning, from slaughter houses or meat processing plants, and similar
substances, whether dissolved, in suspension, or mechanically carried by water, shall be
considered as industrial wastes.
     "Land" means and includes any land, including building buildings and other
improvement improvements thereon, estate, riparian or other right rights, easement easements,
interest interests, or waterway waterways.
     "Lateral sewer" means a sewer which does not receive the sewage from any other
common sewer.
     "Main sewer" means a sewer into which the sewage from two (2) or more sub-main
sewers is discharged.
     "Mayor" means the mayor of the Ccity of Warwick.
     "On-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS)" means any system of piping, tanks,
dispersal areas, alternative toilets, or other facilities designed to function as a unit to convey,
store, treat, or disperse wastewater by means other than discharge into a public wastewater
system.
     "Parcel" means a part, portion, or tract of land and whatever is erected, attached, growing
upon, or affixed to the land.
     "Quorum" means a majority of the members of the authority.
     "Sewage" shall mean waste water wastewater, water-carried wastes, or a combination of
them, discharged into and conveyed by sewers or intended or customarily so discharged and
conveyed. Sewage may be further classified as follows: sanitary or industrial.
     "Sanitary sewage" shall mean the common waste water wastewater and water-carried
wastes from human dwellings and from toilet and lavatory fixtures, kitchen, laundries, and similar
facilities of business and industrial buildings. In general, sanitary sewage shall not include: storm
water from roofs, yards, streets, or open spaces,; water from land surfaces or brooks,; clean waste
or overflows from springs, wells, or subsoil drainage,; large volumes of clean water from air
conditioning or other cooling or condensing facilities,; clean waste water wastewater from
hydraulically operated contrivances; and those wastes included within the definition of "industrial
waste" next following.
     "Industrial wastes" shall include the liquid or water carried wastes of any industrial
process not clearly included within the definitions of sanitary sewage, storm water, cooling water
or subsoil drainage herein. In general, waste waters carrying any quantity of oils, grease, fats,
abrasives, chemicals, residues of manufacturing processes, wastes from commercial food
preserving or canning, from slaughter houses or meat processing plants, and similar substances,
whether dissolved, in suspension, or mechanically carried by water, shall be considered as
industrial wastes.
     "Seepage" or "subsoil drainage" shall include water from the soil percolating into subsoil
drains and through foundation walls, basement floors, or underground pipes, or from similar
sources.
     "Sewage works" means all constructions for collection, transportation, pumping,
treatment, and final disposition of sewage.
     "Sewer assessment" means the rate or charge for the construction of the sewers and sewer
systems set by a method(s) adopted by the authority that bears a reasonable relation to the costs of
construction to the city and authority of the service rendered to the users, including, but not
limited to, costs related to engineering, inspections, land purchases, paving, and financing.
     "Sewer service connection" means a pipe and any associated appurtenances to convey
sewage and wastes from a building the property line of a parcel to a common sewer.
     "Storm water" shall include the runoff or discharge of rain and melted snow or other
clean water from roofs, surfaces of public or private lands parcels, or elsewhere. For most
purposes within the scope of this ordinance, storm water shall not include the flow of any natural
brook, rivulet, or stream, even if the source of such water is storm runoff from land parcels, land,
or other property, once that runoff has entered the channel of such brook or natural watercourse.
In general, storm water shall include only water which is sufficiently clean and unpolluted to
admit of being discharged, without treatment or purification, into any natural open stream or
watercourse without offense.
     "Sub-main sewer" means a sewer into which the sewage from two (2) or more lateral
sewers is discharged.
     "Undeveloped" means any parcel of land which has not been built upon or otherwise
lacks inhabitable buildings or structures.
     "User charges" means rates, charges, and/or fees levied on the users of the wastewater
collection and treatment system related to the costs of operation, maintenance, repair, and
replacement of the wastewater collection and treatment system.
     The Ccity of Warwick may provide for the construction of sewers and for other sewage
works for said city and may raise funds therefor by borrowing or otherwise, and for that purpose
may issue bonds or notes for the city in accordance with the provisions hereinafter stated or under
other authority.
     The sewer authority shall provide that annual user charges shall be made upon the owners
of the lands parcels using the sewer sewage works and that sewer assessments shall be made upon
the owners of lands parcels for which the use of sewage works is available. The sewer authority
may further provide that connect capable charges shall be make upon property owners whose
property is abutting on that portion of ay highway in which a common sewer is laid, while said
property remains unconnected to the city's sewage system. The receipts from annual user charges
and, sewer assessments and connect capable charges shall be appropriated for, and applied to, the
payment of the charges and expenses incident to the planning, construction, financing, operation,
maintenance, repair, renewal, and replacement costs of the sewage works, and to the payment of
principal and interest costs for any bonds or notes issued or outstanding for the sewage works,
and any deficiency of said receipts in any year for said purposes shall be made by the city tax
pending the authority in the next fiscal year eliminating said deficiency and reimbursing the city
for any moneys advanced through the increasing of the rates established for annual user charges
and/or connect capable charges.
     Section 2. Sewer Authority. -- There shall be a bi-partisan sewer authority for the city
consisting of five (5) qualified electors of the city, not more than three (3) of whom shall be
members of the same political party, to be appointed by the mayor subject to confirmation by the
city council. It shall be the purpose of the sewer authority to provide wastewater collection and
treatment services to the city of Warwick in a cost-effective and environmentally sound manner.
Upon passage of this act, the The mayor, within eight (80) days thereafter, shall appoint the five
(5) members of the authority, two (2) of each from lists of ten (10) not less than three (3) names
submitted by the respective chairman of the city political committees and one (1) member without
party designation; one (1) member to hold office until one (1) years year from the first day of
February preceding said appointment,; one (1) member to hold office until two (2) years from the
first day of February preceding said appointment,; one (1) member to hold office until three (3)
years from the first day of February preceding said appointment,; one (1) member to hold office
until four (4) years from the first day of February preceding said appointment,; and one (1)
member to hold office until five (5) years from the first day of February preceding said
appointment., and in In the month of January preceding the expiration of the term of each of said
the authority's members, the mayor shall appoint one (1) member to succeed the member whose
term will next expire to hold office for the term of five (5) years from the first day of February
next after his appointment and until his successor is appointed and qualified in the same manner
as provided in the original appointment for such term. In case any person appointed as a member
of said authority shall decline to serve or neglect to qualify within ten (10) days after his
appointment, or a vacancy shall occur in said authority for any other cause, the mayor, within
thirty (30) days, shall appoint some person to fill such vacancy for the unexpired term in the same
manner as provided in the original appointment for such term. A person holding any other office
of emolument or profit under the government of the city shall not be eligible to membership on
the authority, and if any member of said authority shall accept any such office or shall remove
from the city, his place on the authority shall immediately become vacant. The members of the
authority shall be severally sworn to the faithful performance of their duties under this act. They
shall elect, from among their members, a chairman and a secretary at the first meeting after the
organization and upon the appointment of any new member for a full term and shall fill any
vacancy that may occur in either office from any cause. A majority of the members of the
authority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The mayor may remove any
member of the authority from office for cause shown after a hearing before the city council of
which such member shall be given seven (7) days' notice in writing.
     The mayor, with the advice and consent of the city council, shall fix the compensation of
the members of the authority and shall annually appropriate a sum sufficient to pay the same
together with a sum sufficient for office expenses.
     The authority may adopt by-laws governing the transaction of business by an affirmative
vote of at least four (4) members majority all voting, but no such by-laws shall authorize any
action by the authority except by a majority the affirmative vote of at least three (3) members
thereof and with the advice and consent of the mayor.
     The authority appointed by the provisions of this section, until the remaining sections of
this act take effect upon acceptance by referendum as further provided herein, shall have the
following interim powers and duties:
     The authority shall review the sewer survey (facilities plan) in order to develop
procedures for the implementation of the general sewer program and to conduct preliminary
studies in order to execute the administrative details contained in this act.
     Such activities may include:
     (a) The planning and programming of the various phases of the sewer project,; and
     (b) A review of the procedures of various financing programs in terms of charges and
assessments to be instituted upon the commencement of the construction of sewers,; and
     (c) An establishment and exercise of a public information program.
     The members of the authority and their duly authorized agents may enter upon any
premises within the city to examine, inspect, or survey the same, whenever necessary, for the
performance of their duties under this act.
     Section 3. Preparation of plans –Public hearing –Reports– Specifications– Estimates
Preparation of plans; public hearing; reports; specifications; estimates. -- Without in any way
limiting the authority of said the city to provide sewers anywhere within the territorial limits of
the city, the sewer authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, may authorize the
construction, maintenance, and operation of sewage works, from time to time, in different areas
or sections of the city. The authority shall proceed to prepare construction plans, specifications,
and cost estimates of sewage works for the city, or any portion thereof, allowing the streets and
highways in which the sewers will be placed and the location of other sewage works to be placed
outside of the street and highway limits. The authority shall also prepare, or have prepared, a
report describing the proposed sewage works and a complete estimate of costs therefor.
     When such plans, specifications, report, and estimates are completed, or at other times in
the development stages, they the authority shall cause to be held a public hearing pursuant to the
authority's rules and procedures. Notice of the hearing shall be published in a public newspaper
having circulation in the Ccity of Warwick at least five (5) days prior to the hearing.
     The finance director, with the consent of the mayor and a requisition signed approved by
a majority of the authority and signed by the authority's chairman, shall appropriate a sum
sufficient to pay the cost of preparing the plans, specifications, report, and estimates provided for
in this section, to be expended by the authority, and to be paid by the city treasurer upon vouchers
approved by the mayor and a majority of the authority and the finance director, and the city
treasurer shall repay the treasury any sums so expended whenever sewer bonds or notes are
issued as hereinafter provided.
     In the preparation of plans, specifications, reports, and estimates provided in this section,
the authority may, with the consent of the mayor, from time to time, employ and fix the
compensation of such consulting engineers, legal advisers, and other professional experts, and
such other employees as it may find necessary, and may discontinue the employment of any or all
such employees.
     Section 4. Construction of works – Contracts– Operation and maintenance of works –
Employment of professional – Records– Minutes Construction of works; contracts; operation and
maintenance of works; employment of professionals; records; minutes.-- Upon the completion of
a public hearing of the plans, specifications, reports, and estimates as provided in section 3
hereof, the sewer authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, shall proceed as soon as
may be practicable to carry out construction work contemplated by the plans aforesaid. The
authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, shall be vested with full authority to
construct sewage works for said the city, and to make for, and on behalf of, the city all necessary
contracts for construction and for the purchase of property. The authority may purchase any
supplies Supplies and equipment for the construction, operation, and maintenance of any sewage
works. All work, supplies, materials, and equipment required by the authority in connection with
the construction of the sewage works shall be procured by contract made pursuant to, and in
manner required by, the provisions hereof. For all contracts involving more than five thousand
dollars ($5,000), except in the case of legal services, the services of consulting engineers, and
other professional services, said the authority shall not issue purchase orders without obtaining
the prior consent of the mayor and thereafter filing a monthly report of such contracts and
purchase orders with the mayor and city council. The operation, maintenance, and reparation
repair of said the sewage works shall be vested in the authority.
     The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, may, from time to time, employ
and fix the compensation of such professional engineers, legal advisors, surveyors, draftsmen,
clerks, and other employees as it may find necessary for the construction, operation, maintenance,
and repair of said the sewage works, and may, at any time, discontinue the employment of any or
all such employees subject to compliance with the rules and regulations of the city's personnel
administration. The authority shall cause to be kept a record of all its accounts and proceedings,
and an accurate account of all its transactions, and shall annually, and at such other times as
directed by the mayor or the city council, report to the mayor and city council its doings and
make a report in detail of its financial accounts. The authority shall keep minutes of all its
proceedings showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if such member be absent
or fails to vote, indicating such fact; and shall keep records of its examinations and of other
official actions, all of which shall be filed and shall be a public record.
     Section 8. Custody and accounting of funds raised by bonding or notes. -- The proceeds
arising from the sale of any bonds or notes issued under authority of this act shall be delivered to
the city treasurer and shall be kept by him in separate accounts and shall be expended only for the
purposes, and in the manner, prescribed by this act,; provided that the proceeds of the sale of any
issue of serial bonds or notes shall first be applied to the payment of such temporary notes as may
have been issued in anticipation of such issue,; and provided, further, that any premium received
over the par value of the serial bonds or notes of any issue, less the cost of preparing, issuing, and
marketing such serial bonds or notes shall be applied to the payment of the principal of the first
bonds or notes of such issue first to mature.
     Section 9. Apportionment of costs; sewer assessments and charges; enforcement of
charges and assessments. -- The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, shall
prescribe just and equitable sewer assessment rats rates on account of the construction costs and
the cost of principal and interest for any bonds or notes issued for sewage works, to be levied
against owners of property parcels abutting on that portion of any highway in which a common
sewer is laid under this act and also rates of annual and connect capable user charges on account
of operation and maintenance costs and renewal and replacement funding and the cost of
principal and interest for any bonds or notes issued for sewage works, to be levied against owners
of property parcels which is are or could be connected to a common sewer or in accordance with
section 17(b).
     Such assessments, annual and connect capable charges herein referred shall be paid by
every property parcel owner or institution whose property parcel is or can be connected to the city
sewage works, abuts on that portion of any highway in which a common sewer is laid, under this
act, in a manner prescribed by the authority, with the approval of the mayor and the finance
director. Such annual user charges herein referred shall be paid by every parcel owner whose
parcel is connected to a common sewer, or in accordance with section 17(b), in a manner
prescribed by the authority, with the approval of the mayor and the finance director.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, the authority shall have discretion to may defer sewer
assessments against parcels of land that are undeveloped or not developed to the extent
permissible by city zoning ordinances; provided, that such parcel parcels remain subject to
assessment upon the earlier to occur of either, (i) development or redevelopment of such parcel
parcels in accordance with the authority's rules and regulations. of land; or (ii) twenty (20) years
from the date of initial assessment. Similarly, the The authority shall have discretion to may defer
sewer assessments against any parcels of land if the owner of such a parcel, within seven (7)
years of the date of the sewer assessment, has installed a new septic system OWTS within twenty
(20) years of sewer service initially becoming operational; provided that such parcel shall remain
subject to assessment and shall begin paying such assessment at least seven (7) twenty (20) years
from the date of the installation of the OWTS, or upon connection to the sewer system, whichever
occurs first initial assessment.
     The sewer assessments may shall be determined by a method(s) adopted by the sewer
authority that assesses charges for use of the sewers and the sewer systems in an amount that
bears a reasonable relation to the cost of construction to the city and authority of the service
rendered to the users, which method(s) may include, but is not limited to, according to the
frontage along the highway of each parcel of land abutting on a common sewer,; or according to
the area of such land within a fixed depth from the highway,; or according to both such frontage
and area other alternative methods. The sewer authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor
may, from time to time, redetermine the rates fixed for sewer assessments, if construction costs
warrants warrant, and may redetermine rates for annual and connect capable user charges, if costs
so warrant.
     The sewer assessments herein referred to shall be paid by every property parcel owner or
institution whose property parcel is abutting on that portion of any highway in which a common
sewer is laid under this act or is connected to the city's sewage works. In the case of property
connected to the City's sewage works where that property is not abutting on any highway in
which a common sewer is laid, the property will be assessed in the same manner as if the
common sewer were abutting the highway to which the property is connected in a manner
consistent with this Act.
     Sewer assessments levied hereunder may be paid in as many as twenty (20) thirty (30)
annual installments in accordance with the terms of the loan secured for sewer construction, upon
application by the property parcel owner and approval of the sewer authority. In the case of
installment payments, interest at a rate not to exceed four percent (4%) per annum for assessment
in effect prior to June 30, 1988, and for assessments established thereafter a maximum rate of one
and twenty-five hundredths percent (1.25%) above the average interest rate the authority is
charged on the loan used to fund the construction of the sewers not to exceed nine percent (9%)
per annum shall be charged annually on the unpaid balance of the total sewer assessment. Such
annual installment payments may be paid on a quarterly basis.
     Sewer assessments shall be levied at a uniform rate based upon the estimated final cost of
constructing all sewers, sewer service connections, and other sewage works belonging to the city.
Sewer assessment revenues shall be used for the payment of the principal and interest costs for
any bonds or notes issued for sewage works.
     Annual User charges shall be levied upon every property parcel owner or institution
whose property parcel is connected to the city's sewage system. The change charge shall will be
computed as annual rates based upon water consumption or other factors deemed equitable by the
sewer authority. The annual user charge should shall be set at a level sufficient to support
operation and maintenance costs of the sewer system and the wastewater treatment plant, the
renewal and replacement fund and the principal and interest for any bonds or notes issued for
sewage works. The revenues to be raised by annual user charges will be reduced by revenues
generated by sewer assessments and connect capable fees.
     Connect capable charges may be levied upon every property owner or institution whose
property parcel is abutting on that portion of any highway in which a common sewer is laid while
said property parcel is not connected to the aforementioned sewerage system, but is capable of
doing so. The charge will be established at a level determined by the sewer authority to recover
an equitable portion of the principal for any bonds or notes issued for sewerage works and
renewal and replacement funding, and shall be subject to consent by the mayor and the Warwick
City Council.
     The authority shall annually certify, to the finance director and to the mayor, all the
charges and sewer assessments made by it under the authority of this act. Each charge or
assessment made by said the authority pursuant to this act shall be a lien upon the parcels, lands,
buildings, and improvements upon which it is made in the same way and manner as taxes
assessed on real estate, but such liens shall not expire until the charge or assessment, with all
interest, costs, and penalties thereon, is paid in full, and, if the charge or assessment is not paid as
required, it shall be collected in the same manner that taxes assessed on real estate are by law
collected. The finance director, after receiving a list of charges or assessments under this act, shall
forthwith, at the expense of the authority, send to each person assessed or charged notice of the
amount of his assessment or charge. The notice shall substantially identify the person assessed,
state the amount of the assessment or charge, and refer to the remedy available under section 19
of this act. The notice shall be mailed postpaid and directed to the last known address of the
person assessed. If there are persons whose addresses are unknown, a similar notice covering the
assessments against such persons shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the
city and such published notice may be a single collective notice for all such persons. No
irregularity in the notice required by this section shall excuse the nonpayment of the assessment
or charge or affect its validity or any proceedings for the collection thereof as long as there is
substantial compliance with the provision hereof. No deficiency in the notice to the person
assessed shall excuse the nonpayment by others of the assessment or charges assessed against
them or affect the validity thereof or any proceedings for the collection thereof. The finance
director shall, without further warrant, collect such charges and assessments in the same manner
as the regular taxes of the city may be payable. Interest at the rate per annum fixed for
nonpayment of city taxes shall be charged and collected upon all overdue charges and
assessments from the date they become payable until paid,; provided, however, that the total
overdue charge for non-payment nonpayment of installment of sewer assessments shall be
applied to past-due installments and not the total assessment; and provided, further, that there
shall be no penalty on installment assessments deferred by reason of income subject to rules and
regulations that the Warwick Ccity Ccouncil may prescribe by ordinance.
     The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, may at any time cancel modify,
in whole or in part, any charge or assessment to the extent the authority determines such charge or
assessment to have been improperly imposed.
     Section 9.1. Renewal and replacement account. -- The city finance director shall establish
in a separate account for renewal and replacement. The purpose of the account is to provide for
the future renewal or replacement of the current and future physical assets of the wastewater
treatment plant whose cost is in excess of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.) with an economic life
of at least five (5) years. The renewal and replacement account will be funded annually through
annual user charges and connect capable fees, as determined by the sewer authority, in an amount
equal to total gross depreciation expense as computed under generally accepted accounting
principals principles, including the amortization of local and nonlocal contributed capital, or an
alternative amount based on industry standards. Interest earned on monies deposited in the
renewal and replacement fund will be credited to the account. Withdrawals from the account,
subject to the aforementioned limitations of cost and economic life, must be approved by the
sewer authority.
     Section 10. Receipts from annual charges and assessments Receipts from user charges
and assessments. -- The receipts from annual user charges and, sewer assessments and connect
capable charges, as provided for in section 9 of this act, should be separately accounted for by the
finance director, at the close of each fiscal year the city treasurer shall transfer from such funds to
the treasury a sum sufficient to repay the sums appropriated and paid from the treasury during the
fiscal year then close on account of the principal and interest of all borrowing for the purpose of
this act and for the payment of charges and expenses incident to the operation, maintenance,
renewal and replacement fund and repair of said sewage works or to the extension thereof. At the
end of a fiscal year, if the finance director determines that the revenues referred to above, as well
as prior year fund balances, were not sufficient to cover operation and maintenance costs, renewal
and replacement funding, and principal and interest for any bonds or notes issued for sewage
works, thereby creating insufficient end-of-year balances, charge shall be adjusted in the next
fiscal year to assure sufficient balances in the sewer fund. If the receipts from said charges and
assessments amount in any year to more than will be required for the aforesaid purposes, the
surplus shall be added to the receipts of the next succeeding year.
     Section 11. Recovery of assessment charge by joint, tenant, tenant in common, etc., from
other tenant Recovery of assessment charge by joint, tenant, tenant in common, etc., and the like,
from other tenant. -- Whenever a tenant by the entirety, or a joint tenant, or a tenant, in common
of any land parcel subject to a sewer charge or assessment under this act, shall pay the whole
amount of such sewer charge or assessment, he such tenant may recover from the other joint
tenant, or tenant in common, as the case may be, such proportional part of such charge or
assessment as the value of the latter's interest in the land parcel bears to the aggregate value of
such land parcel, by proceedings in the superior court for the county of Kent in the nature of an
action of account as provided in G.L. 1956, § 10-2-1 et seq., and in any acts in amendment
thereof or in addition thereto, and such action is hereby made available for the purposes of this
section. The same shall apply as between a tenant for life or years and the owner of the fee with
respect to construction assessments. Whenever the owner of the fee shall pay an annual a user
charge, he such owner may recover the amount so paid from the tenant in a similar action to the
extent is attributable to the period of the tenancy. The provisions of this section shall not be
construed to impair any other right of action which the party paying such charge or assessment
may have at law or in equity to secure a contribution from the other parties having an interest in
the land parcel subject to such charge or assessment.
     Section 12. Appeal of assessment of irregular, unusual land; assessment of lots at
intersection of roads. The owner of a lot of land irregular in shape or which is unduly above or
below grade or which for any reason is deemed to be inequitably assessed under this act, in the
event such an assessment is made, may appeal to the sewer board of review as hereinafter
provided in section 19 of this act. The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, may
notwithstanding an appeal, on its own initiative, adjust the sewer assessment on such a lot or
exempt such a lot from assessment.
     Where a lot is located at the intersection of two streets or highways in which sewers have
been constructed, the sewer assessment on such lot shall be made only for the sewer in the street
or highway in which the assessment would be greater.
     Section 13. Assessments for land held by religious corporations, cemeteries Assessments
for parcels held by religious corporations, cemeteries. -- All lands parcels in said the city held by
religious corporations, and on which are located buildings used solely for the purpose of holding
religious services therein, and all lands parcels in said the city held by cemetery corporations and
used solely for cemetery purposes, shall be exempt from the payment of any and all sewer
assessments for the construction of sewage works made in pursuance of the provisions of this act
and according to the sewer authority's rules and regulations, so long as such lands parcels shall be
held and used solely for such purposes; provided, that all such assessments made on such lands
parcels for the construction of sewage works under the provisions of this act shall be and remain
for thirty (30) years a lien on said the lands parcels and the improvements thereon without
interest, and the said city may enforce for collection of said the assessments whenever said the
lands parcels or any portion thereof shall be abandoned for from said the above-listed purposes, in
the same manner as other sewer assessments under this act are collected or enforced; and
provided, further, that any such assessment may be adjusted in the manner and for any of the
reasons prescribed in section 12 of this act.
     Section 14. Procedure for taking land. -- The sewer authority, with the advice and consent
of the mayor on behalf of the city, may acquire by agreement, purchase, or condemnation such
land or right or easement in land as may be necessary for the purposes of this act. Whenever the
authority desires to take any such land or right or easement in land by condemnation, it shall file
with the city clerk a plat, description, and statement of such land or right or easement in land to
be taken and a statement that such land or right or easement in land is taken pursuant to the
provisions of this act.
     Upon the recording of said plat, description, and statement in the office of the city clerk,
the land or right or easement in land defined in such plat, description, and statement to the extent
and according to the nature of the interest therein taken, shall vest in the city and shall be subject
to the use of the authority for the purposes of this act, and said authority may thereupon enter
upon and enjoy the rights, interests, and easements taken as aforesaid; and after the filing of such
plat, description, and statement, notice of such taking shall be served upon the owners of and
persons having an estate in and interested in such land by any police officer of the Ccity of
Warwick leaving a true and attested copy of such description and statement with each of such
persons personally, or at their land and usual place of abode in this state with some person living
there, and, in case any of such persons are absent from the state and have no last land and usual
place of abode therein occupied by any person, such copy shall be left with the persons, if any, in
charge of, or having possession of, such land of such absent persons, and another copy thereof
shall be mailed to the address of such absent persons if the same is known to said officer; and
after the filing of such description and statement, the city clerk of said city shall cause a copy of
such description and statement to be published in some newspaper or newspapers published or
circulated in said city at least twice a week for three successive weeks; and if any party shall
agree with said authority for the price of the rights, interests, or easement so taken, the same shall
be paid to him forthwith by said authority.
     The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, shall have general authority to
represent the city and to make any agreements for said city under the authority of this section and
to do, with the advice and consent of the mayor, any acts or things necessary or incidental to
executing settlements and agreements, and shall have authority to agree with the owner for the
price of land so taken and the same shall be paid by the city treasurer out of the proceeds of bonds
or notes issued hereunder or other funds made available for the purpose, upon vouchers approved
by the majority of the authority and the finance director.
     Any owner of or person entitled to any estate in, or interested in, any part of the land in
which such fee, rights, interests or easements are so taken who cannot agree with said city or
authority for the price of such fee, rights, interests, or easements so taken in which he/she is
interested as aforesaid, may, within one year from the filing of the plat, description, and statement
referred to in this section of this act, apply by petition to the superior court in and for the county
of Kent, setting forth the taking of such fee, rights, interests, or easements in his land and praying
for an assessment of damages by a jury. Upon the filing of said petition, the said court shall cause
twenty (20) days' notice of the pendency thereof, to be given to said city by serving the mayor of
said city with a certified copy thereof, and may proceed after such notice to the trial thereof; and
such trial shall determine all questions of fact relating to the value of such fee, rights, interests or
easements and the amount thereof, and judgment shall be entered upon the verdict of such jury
and execution shall be issued therefor.
     In case any owner of or person having an estate in or interested in such land shall fail to
receive personal notice of the taking as aforesaid, and shall fail to file the petition as provided in
this section, said court in its discretion may permit the filing of such petition subsequent to said
period of one year from the filing of such description and statement; provided, such person shall
have no actual knowledge of the taking of such fee, right, interest, or easement in season to file
such petition.
     If any lands, or any fee, rights, interests, or easements therein, in which any infant or
other person not capable in law to act in his own behalf is interested, are taken by said authority
under the provisions of this act, said superior court, upon the filing therein of any such petition by
or in behalf of such infant or other person, may appoint a guardian ad litem for such infant or
other person, and such guardian may appear and be heard in behalf of such infant or other person;
and such guardian may also, with the advice and consent of said superior court, may prescribe,
release to said city or authority all claims for damages for the fee, rights, interests, or easements
in the lands of such infant or other person. Any lawfully appointed, qualified, and acting guardian
of the estate of any such infant or other person, with the approval of the court of probate within
this state having jurisdiction to authorize the sale of lands within this state of any such infant or
person, may, before the filing of any such petition, agree with said authority upon the amount of
damages suffered by such infant or other person by any such taking and may, upon receiving such
amount, release to said city or authority all claims of damages of such infant or other person for
such taking.
     Any damages assessed as the result of petition to the superior court shall be paid by the
city treasurer from the proceeds of bonds or notes issued hereunder or other funds made available
for the purpose upon vouchers approved by the mayor and the majority of the authority and
finance director,; provided, however, that nothing in this act shall authorize the authority to
condemn any portion of the land or right-of-way of any railroad, street, railway, or other public
service company, except for the purpose of crossing the same below grade and of building and
maintaining necessary manholes at such crossing in such manner as not to render unsafe, or to
impair the usefulness of such land or right-of-way for railroad or street railway purposes or the
purposes of such other public service company. If said authority and such railroad, street, railway,
or other public service company are unable to agree as to the method of the construction and
maintenance of such sewer and manholes at any such crossing, either party may apply to the
division of public utilities for a determination thereof, and, after hearing, such sewer and
manholes shall be constructed and maintained in such method and manner as may be ordered by
said division. Either party aggrieved by such order of said division may appeal to the supreme
court.
     Prior to any taking hereunder, the authority shall provide specific funds for payment of
compensation, the use of such funds for such purpose shall be a fixed obligation of the city, and,
notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the full faith and credit of the city shall be
deemed pledged to pay such compensation.
     Section 15. Contracts with other municipalities, the state. -- The city, acting by its sewer
authority and the mayor, is further authorized to contract with any other city, or town, or
municipal agency in this state or with the Sstate of Rhode Island, or any quasi-public agency in
this state is authorized to contract with the City of Warwick authority, with the advice and
consent of the mayor, on such terms as may be mutually agreed upon between them with
reference to the construction, maintenance, operation, and the utilization of sewage works
belonging to the city and authority or any other city or town or municipal agency in this state and
the Sstate of Rhode Island or any quasi-public agency in this state; and the city authority with the
advice and consent of the mayor may likewise contract with any other city or town or municipal
agency or the Sstate of Rhode Island or any quasi-public agency in this state with regard to the
disposition of sewage from sewage works belonging to any of said cities or town towns or
municipal agency or the Sstate of Rhode Island or any quasi-public agency in this state.
     Section 16. Authority to prescribe rules and regulations governing construction, use,
discharge of substances, and connections Authority to prescribe rules and regulations governing
construction, use, discharge of substances, connections, and sewer assessments. -- The sewer
authority, after notice and a public hearing, and the advice and consent of the mayor, is
authorized, from time to time, to prescribe rules and regulations relative to the regulation of,
construction of, use of, discharge of substances into, and connections to the sewage works,; and
assessment of properties abutting a sewer line; determining the method of sewer assessments, and
the rate of interest for sewer assessment installment payments. These rules and regulations shall
cover the restriction of storm waters,; wastes which may or may not be discharged into the sewer
system,; the requirement for the property parcel owner or sewer user to provide protective
devices prior to discharge,; sampling wells to determine strength of wastes,; flow measuring
devices,; pretreatment facilities; and any other requirement to provide proper protection and
control of the use of the sewer system and sewage treatment facilities. Such rules or regulations
adopted after a public hearing shall be filed with the city clerk. Any person violating any rule or
regulation prescribed by the authority under the authority of this act shall be fined not exceeding
five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation, and not exceeding five thousand dollars
($5,000) for each additional day that any such violation shall continue, as may be prescribed by
the authority, and shall also be liable in an action of the case for all damages caused to the city or
to any person by any such violation.
     The authority shall establish rules and regulations to allow for temporary hardship
waivers for those parcel owners that demonstrate undue hardship as defined in the WSA
regulations. The authority shall also establish an incentive program for connecting to the sewer
system. The city council may at any time appropriate funds to support these programs.
     Section 17. Authority to order connection to sewer ordering cesspool, etc., to be fill up,
etc Authority to order connection to sewer, ordering cesspool, and the like, to be filled up, and the
like. -- (a) The sewer authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, in the interest of public
health and safety is authorized to order any abutting owner or occupant of land any parcel
whereupon there is a cesspool, privy vault, OWTS, drain, or other arrangement that has failed by
the Rhode Island department of environmental management definition upon any street in which
there is a sewer, or in which a sewer may hereafter be constructed, to connect the sewage of such
premises with such sewer, and to order any owner or occupant to fill up and destroy any cesspool,
privy vault, drain, or other arrangement on such land parcel for the reception of sewage. Upon the
service of any such order, or copy thereof, upon any such owner or occupant, to connect the
sewage as aforesaid, or to fill up or destroy any cesspool, privy vault, drain, or other arrangement
for the reception of sewage, such owner or occupant shall comply therewith within thirty (30)
days from the time of service of such order. In case the owner or occupant to whom any such
order is directed shall neglect or refuse to comply therewith within thirty (30) days after the
service thereof upon him/her, he/she shall be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00),
nor more than five hundred dollars ($500.00), for each subsequent twenty-four (24) hours during
which he/she shall neglect or refuse to comply therewith, and in case such neglect or refusal shall
continue for sixty (60) days after the service of such an order, the authority may cause such
cesspool, privy vault, drain, or other arrangement for the reception of sewage which is the subject
of such order to be filled up and destroyed and the sewage from such land parcel to be connected
with a common sewer. The pendency of any appeal from any such order shall not affect the
power of the authority, after the expiration of said period of sixty (60) days, to cause such
cesspool, privy vault, or other arrangement for the reception of sewage to be forthwith filled up
and destroyed.
     Whenever the authority shall cause any cesspool, privy vault, or other arrangement for
the reception of sewage to be filled up and destroyed, or the sewage of any land parcel to be
connected with a common sewer, it shall keep careful account of the cost of such work and of any
expense caused the city or authority by reason of the neglect or refusal of the owner or occupant
of such land parcel to comply with the order of the authority issued as aforesaid, and upon the
completion of such work, the authority shall file statement of such cost and expense with the
director of finance and thereupon the amount of such cost and expense shall be a lien upon the
land parcel, including improvements thereon, for which such cost and expense was incurred and
the same shall be collected in the same manner as other assessments and charges are collected
under this act.
     (b) Mandatory connection to sewer prior to sale or transfer. Any abutting owner or
occupant of land any parcel upon any street in which there is a sewer must connect the sewage of
such premises with such sewer and fill up and destroy any cesspool, privy vault, drain, or other
arrangement on such land parcel for the reception of sewage, excluding any Rhode Island
department of environmental management ISDS OWTS approved system, prior to the one year
anniversary of the sale or transfer in ownership. If such abutting owner or occupant of land any
parcel who is required to connect to the sewage system fails to do so in the prescribed time
period, then such abutting owner or occupant of land the parcel shall be required to pay usage
fees as if such abutting owner or occupant of land the parcel were connected to the sewage
system.
     (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, regulation, or agreement to the
contrary, an abutting owner or occupant of land any parcel upon any street in which there is a
common sewer shall not be required to connect to the sewage system, except as provided under
subsections (a) or , (b) or (c)(b) of this section.
     Section 18. Plat of sewer declared public record for assessment purposes. -- Whenever a
common sewer is constructed under the provisions of this act, the sewer authority shall cause a
plat of the layout of the same, and of the estates abutting upon that portion of the highway in
which the sewer is laid, to be filed in the office of the city clerk, which said the plats are hereby
declared to be public records for the determination of the description of the estate assessed for
construction of sewage works.
     Section 19. Sewer board of review; appeals; record of proceedings; organization and
procedure. -- There shall be a sewer board of review which shall consist of three (3) members
appointed by the Mayor with approval of the city council. The members first appointed shall
serve for terms of 1, 2, and 3 years respectively and thereafter one member shall be appointed in
each year for a term of three years.
     Within 60 days after mailing of notice of an assessment or charge under section 9, or
within 30 days after giving or mailing of notice of an order under section 17, any person
aggrieved by such assessment, charge, or order may appeal to the sewer board of review.
     The sewer board of review shall keep an accurate record of its proceedings which shall be
available for public inspection.
     The board shall review the authority's decision to ensure that the authority's decision
complies with the provisions of this act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. If
the board determines that such an assessment, charge, or order is unwarranted was made in
violation of the express provisions of this act, either in whole or in part, it shall annul or modify
the same and make such order as justice may require. Otherwise, it shall affirm the same. Within
30 days after the decision of the sewer board of review, any party aggrieved, which may include
including the sewer authority, may appeal to the superior court which shall have the same powers
to annul, modify, enter further orders or affirm as the sewer board of review.
     The city council shall provide, by ordinance, for the organization of procedure of the
sewer board of review and for the manner of receiving, considering and disposing of appeals.
     Section 22. Use of federal, other aid. -- The sewer authority of said the city, by the vote
of a majority of its members, may vote to accept and use, in connection with the construction of
the sewage works authorized by this act, any funds from the United States of America or aid in
any form under any and all acts and joint resolutions of cCongress already enacted or which may
be enacted, and upon such terms and conditions as may be required by the proper federal
authorities.
     SECTION 2. Section 12 of chapter 254 of the public laws of 1962, entitled "An Act to
Create a Sewer Authority for the City of Warwick and to Authorize said city to plan, construct,
finance, operate, and maintain sewage works", as amended, is hereby repealed.
     Section 12. Appeal of assessment of irregular, unusual land; assessment oflots at
intersection of roads. -- The owner of a lot of land irregular in shape or which is unduly above or
below grade or which for any reason is deemed to be inequitably assessed under this act, in the
event such an assessment is made, may appeal to the sewer board of review as hereinafter
provided in section 19 of this act. The authority, with the advice and consent of the mayor, may
notwithstanding an appeal, on its own initiative, adjust the sewer assessment on such a lot or
exempt such a lot from assessment.
     Where a lot is located at the intersection of two streets or highways in which sewers have
been constructed, the sewer assessment on such lot shall be made only for the sewer in the street
or highway in which the assessment would be greater.
     SECTION 3. Chapter 254 of the Public Laws of 1962 entitled "An Act to Create a Sewer
Authority for the City of Warwick and to Authorize said City to Plan, Construct, Finance,
Operate, and Maintain Sewage Works", as amended is hereby further amended by adding thereto
the following sections:
     Section 26. Public Hearings. -- The authority shall be required to hold public hearings for
various reasons including, but not limited to, proposed annual budgets, rate increases, and for the
adoption of rules and regulations. The authority shall develop regulations for public hearings to
include notice requirements, distribution of associated documents, and response to substantive
and relevant comments from the public.
     Section 27. Compliance with General Laws. -- The authority shall comply with chapter
22.2 of title 45 (Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Act).
     SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage and the sewer authority shall adopt
rules and regulations within one year thereafter in accordance with this act.
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LC003158/SUB A
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