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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1187
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING FORECLOSURE, ASSIGNMENT AND OTHER
ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS FOR UNPAID SEWER ASSESSMENTS
AND OTHER FEES AND CHARGES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 7-254 of the 1
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2025, and applicable to actions filed on or after 3
October 1, 2025): 4
(a) Any assessment of benefits or any installment thereof, not paid 5
within thirty days after the due date, shall be delinquent and shall be 6
subject to interest from such due date at the interest rate and in the 7
manner provided by the general statutes for delinquent property taxes. 8
Each addition of interest shall be collectible as a part of such assessment. 9
(b) (1) Whenever any installment of an assessment becomes 10
delinquent, the interest on such delinquent installment shall be as 11
provided in subsection (a) of this section or five dollars, whichever is 12
greater. Any unpaid assessment and any interest due thereon shall 13
constitute a lien upon the real estate against which the assessment was 14
levied from the date of such levy. Each such lien may be continued, 15
recorded and released in the manner provided by the general statutes 16
for continuing, recording and releasing property tax liens. Each such 17 Substitute Bill No. 1187
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lien shall take precedence over all other liens and encumbrances except 18
taxes and may be enforced, in accordance with subdivision (2) of this 19
subsection, in the same manner as property tax liens. The tax collector 20
of the municipality may collect such assessments in accordance with any 21
mandatory provision of the general statutes for the collection of 22
property taxes and the municipality may recover any such assessment 23
in a civil action against any person liable therefor. 24
(2) In the case of one or more liens for any unpaid assessment and 25
any interest due thereon, as described in subdivision (1) of this 26
subsection, upon any owner-occupied real estate, no such lien or liens 27
may be foreclosed unless the principal for all such liens upon such 28
owner-occupied real estate exceeds three thousand dollars or three 29
years have elapsed from the date any such lien was filed and such lien 30
remains unpaid, except such restriction shall not apply if a tax or other 31
municipal lien is foreclosed in the same action against such real estate. 32
(c) [Any] (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, 33
any municipality, by resolution of its legislative body, may assign, for 34
consideration, any and all liens filed by the tax collector to secure unpaid 35
sewer assessments as provided under the provisions of this chapter. The 36
consideration received by the municipality shall be negotiated between 37
the municipality and the assignee. 38
(2) In the case of one or more liens filed by the tax collector to secure 39
unpaid assessments, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, 40
upon any owner-occupied real estate, no such lien or liens may be 41
assigned unless the principal for all such liens upon such owner-42
occupied real estate exceeds three thousand dollars or three years have 43
elapsed from the date any such lien was filed and such lien remains 44
unpaid, except such restriction shall not apply if a tax or other municipal 45
lien upon such real estate is also assigned. 46
Sec. 2. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 7-258 of the general statutes 47
are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective 48
October 1, 2025, and applicable to actions filed on or after October 1, 2025): 49 Substitute Bill No. 1187
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(a) (1) Any charge for connection with or for the use of a sewerage 50
system, not paid within thirty days of the due date, shall thereupon be 51
delinquent and shall bear interest from the due date at the rate and in 52
the manner provided by the general statutes for delinquent property 53
taxes. Each addition of interest shall be collectible as a part of such 54
connection or use charge. Any such unpaid connection or use charge 55
shall constitute a lien upon the real estate against which such charge was 56
levied from the date it became delinquent. Each such lien may be 57
continued, recorded and released in the manner provided by the general 58
statutes for continuing, recording and releasing property tax liens. Each 59
such lien shall take precedence over all other liens and encumbrances 60
except taxes and may be foreclosed in the same manner as a lien for 61
property taxes in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection. The 62
municipality may by ordinance designate the tax collector or any other 63
person as collector of sewerage system connection and use charges and 64
such collector of sewerage system connection and use charges may 65
collect such charges in accordance with the provisions of the general 66
statutes for the collection of property taxes. The municipality may 67
recover any such charges in a civil action against any person liable 68
therefor. For the purpose of establishing or revising such connection or 69
use charges and for the purpose of collecting such charges any 70
municipality may enter into agreements with any water company or 71
municipal water department furnishing water in such municipality for 72
the purchase from such water company or municipal water department 73
of information or services and such agreement may designate such 74
water company or municipal water department as a billing or collecting 75
agent of the collector of sewerage system connection and use charges in 76
the municipality. Any water company or municipal water department 77
may enter into and fulfill any such agreements and may utilize for the 78
collection of such charges any of the methods utilized by it for the 79
collection of its water charges. 80
(2) In the case of one or more liens for any unpaid connection or use 81
charge, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, upon any 82
owner-occupied real estate, no such lien or liens may be foreclosed 83 Substitute Bill No. 1187
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unless the principal for all such liens upon such owner-occupied real 84
estate exceeds three thousand dollars or three years have elapsed from 85
the date any such lien was filed and such lien remains unpaid, except 86
such restriction shall not apply if a tax or other municipal lien is 87
foreclosed in the same action against such real estate. 88
(b) [Any] (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, 89
any municipality, by resolution of its legislative body, may assign, for 90
consideration, any and all liens filed by the tax collector or collector of 91
sewerage system connection and use charges to secure unpaid sewerage 92
connection and use charges as provided under the provisions of this 93
chapter. The consideration received by the municipality shall be 94
negotiated between the municipality and the assignee. 95
(2) In the case of one or more liens filed by the tax collector or collector 96
of sewerage system connection and use charges to secure unpaid 97
sewerage connection and use charges, as described in subdivision (1) of 98
this subsection, upon any owner-occupied real estate, no such lien or 99
liens may be assigned unless the principal for all such liens upon such 100
owner-occupied real estate exceeds three thousand dollars or three 101
years have elapsed from the date any such lien was filed and such lien 102
remains unpaid, except such restriction shall not apply if a tax or other 103
municipal lien upon such real estate is also assigned. 104
Sec. 3. Section 22a-506 of the general statutes is repealed and the 105
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2025, and 106
applicable to actions filed on or after October 1, 2025): 107
(a) An authority may (1) levy and collect benefit assessments upon 108
the lands and buildings within its jurisdiction that, in its judgment, are 109
especially benefited by a wastewater system; (2) establish, revise and 110
collect rates, fees, charges, penalties and assessments for the use and 111
benefits of a wastewater system; and (3) order the owner of any building 112
which is accessible to a wastewater system to connect to such system, all 113
in the manner provided in sections 7-249 to 7-257, inclusive, and sections 114
22a-416 to 22a-599, inclusive. 115 Substitute Bill No. 1187
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(b) (1) Any assessment of benefits, including any installment thereof, 116
and any charge, fee, fine or other amount that is not paid within thirty 117
days after the due date shall be delinquent, shall be subject to interest 118
and shall constitute a lien upon the premises served and a charge upon 119
the owner thereof all in the manner provided both by the provisions of 120
the general statutes for delinquent property taxes and by section 7-258, 121
as amended by this act. The rules and regulations of the authority may 122
provide for the discontinuance of water pollution control service for 123
nonpayment of taxes, special assessments, fees, rates, penalties or other 124
charges therefor imposed under sections 22a-500 to 22a-519, inclusive. 125
Such lien shall take precedence over all other liens or encumbrances 126
except taxes and may be foreclosed against the lot or building served, in 127
accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection, in the same manner 128
as a lien for taxes, provided all such liens shall continue until such time 129
as they shall be discharged or foreclosed by the authority without the 130
necessity of filing certificates of continuation, but in no event for longer 131
than ten years. The authority may institute a civil action against such 132
owner to recover the amount of any such fee or charge which remains 133
due and unpaid for thirty days along with interest thereon at the same 134
rate as unpaid taxes and with reasonable attorneys' fees, provided no 135
foreclosure to recover such amount may be instituted against the owner 136
of an owner-occupied premises unless the principal for such amount 137
exceeds three thousand dollars or three years have elapsed from the 138
date any such lien was filed and such lien remains unpaid, except such 139
restriction shall not apply if a tax or other municipal lien is foreclosed in 140
the same action against such real estate. 141
(2) In the case of one or more liens for any assessment of benefits and 142
any charge, fee, fine or other amount that is not paid within thirty days 143
after the due date, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, 144
upon any owner-occupied premises served, no such lien or liens may be 145
foreclosed unless the principal for all such liens upon such owner-146
occupied premises served exceeds three thousand dollars or three years 147
have elapsed from the date any such lien was filed and such lien remains 148
unpaid, except such restriction shall not apply if a tax or other municipal 149 Substitute Bill No. 1187
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lien is foreclosed in the same action against such real estate. 150
Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 49-92o of the general statutes is 151
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 152
1, 2025, and applicable to actions filed on or after October 1, 2025): 153
(a) [Any] (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, 154
any regional sewer authority established under an act of the General 155
Assembly, may assign, for consideration, any and all liens filed by such 156
regional sewer authority to secure unpaid sewer assessments or 157
connection or use charges of the authority. The consideration received 158
by the authority shall be negotiated between the authority and the 159
assignee. 160
(2) In the case of one or more liens filed by a regional sewer authority 161
to secure unpaid sewer assessment or connection or use charges of the 162
authority, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection, upon any 163
owner-occupied real estate, no such lien or liens may be assigned unless 164
the principal for all such liens upon such owner-occupied real estate 165
exceeds three thousand dollars or three years have elapsed from the 166
date any such lien was filed and such lien remains unpaid, except such 167
restriction shall not apply if a tax or other municipal lien upon such real 168
estate is also assigned. 169
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2025, and
applicable to actions filed
on or after October 1, 2025
7-254(a) to (c)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025, and
applicable to actions filed
on or after October 1, 2025
7-258(a) and (b)
Sec. 3 October 1, 2025, and
applicable to actions filed
on or after October 1, 2025
22a-506
Sec. 4 October 1, 2025, and
applicable to actions filed
on or after October 1, 2025
49-92o(a) Substitute Bill No. 1187
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PD Joint Favorable Subst.