Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §6111, as corrected by RR 1991, c. 1, §49, is repealed.

Sec. 2. 35-A MRSA §6111-A is enacted to read:

§6111-A.__Liens for unpaid rates; multiunit residential

rental property

1.__Liens for unpaid rates; consumer-owned water utilities.__A consumer-owned water utility has a lien on real estate served by that consumer-owned water utility to secure the payment of unpaid rates.

2.__Rental property; water utilities.__Notwithstanding section 706, when a landlord has applied for and is granted water utility service to a multiunit residential rental property, the water utility has a lien on the property and on any interest the landlord has in the multiunit residential rental property to secure payment for the water utility's service to that property with costs and with interest at a rate not to exceed the highest lawful rate set by the Treasurer of State for municipal taxes.

3.__Method and procedure.__The method for obtaining, enforcing and receiving payment on a lien created under this section must be performed in the same manner and has the same effect and creates the same rights as provided in Title 38, section 1208 pertaining to the collection of unpaid rates by a sanitary district, except that a sanitary district lien created under Title 38, section 1208 continues with priority over a lien created under this section.__The notice of impending automatic foreclosure must be substantially in the following form:

STATE OF MAINE

(insert name of water utility)

NOTICE OF IMPENDING AUTOMATIC FORECLOSURE

WATER LIEN

Title 35-A M.R.S.A., section 6111-A

IMPORTANT: DO NOT DISREGARD THIS NOTICE

YOU WILL LOSE YOUR PROPERTY UNLESS

YOU PAY THE CHARGES, COSTS AND INTEREST FOR WHICH

A LIEN ON YOUR PROPERTY HAS BEEN CREATED BY THE

(insert name of water utility)

TO: ............

You are the party named on the Water Lien Certificate filed on ............, 20.. and recorded in Book ....., Page .... in the ....... County Registry of Deeds. This (insert name of water