All cities and towns of this state shall have the power to regulate privies, water closets, and septic tanks and the construction thereof and to compel the installation of same and to regulate the connection of such water closets with such septic tanks or with the sewerage system of the city or town; and, in case of failure to install or connect after reasonable notice, then the city or town may install proper privies, water closets, or septic tanks as it deems advisable and connect such water closets with such septic tanks or with the sewerage system of the city or town, the expense of same to be assessed against the property and the cost thereof to be a lien upon the property in favor of the city or town, superior to all other liens, to be collected as other debts are collected or liens enforced.
When privies, water closets, or septic tanks are installed and connections made by the city or town under the provisions of this section, the mayor or other chief executive officer of such city or town shall prepare a statement in writing setting forth the name of the owner and a description of the property upon which the improvements have been made, together with the cost of the installation of such privies, water closets, or septic tanks and sanitary connections, and the statement must be signed by the mayor or other chief executive officer in his official capacity and filed with the probate judge in the county in which such property is situated for record in the mortgage records of the county. The filing of such statement shall operate as notice of such lien from the date of its filing.
Last modified: May 3, 2021