House Connections

Baltimore City Code art. 25, subtit. 16

in effect

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-1 “Property owners” subject to subtitle.

§ 16-1. “Property owners” subject to subtitle. Whenever any person or persons shall occupy, or shall be in actual possession, or have charge, care, or control of any property within the City, as executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, or other fiduciary, or as agent: (1) such person: (i) shall be deemed and taken to be the owner of such property, within the true intent and meaning of this subtitle; and (ii) shall be bound to comply with all the provisions of this subtitle so far as the same may affect such property, in the same manner and subject to the same consequences in every respect prescribed by this subtitle as if such person were actually the owner of such property; and (2) notice to any such person by the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development, as hereinabove prescribed, shall be deemed and taken to be as good and sufficient notice as if such person were actually the owner of such property. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-2 Service of notices.

§ 16-2. Service of notices. The notices provided for in this subtitle: (1) shall be left with the owner or occupier, or agent of the owner of the property mentioned in said notice; and (2) if there be no owner or occupier, or agent of the owner of said property, upon which said notice can be served, notice shall be deemed in all respects sufficient if exposed, in some open way, upon the property to which it refers. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-3 Carrying pipe to inside of wall.

§ 16-3. Carrying pipe to inside of wall. The Director of Public Works is hereby authorized and directed, in constructing all pipes connecting from the sewer or sewer pipes in the highway to a building on a lot adjacent to such highway, where the wall of such building stands upon or near to the building lines, to carry said connecting pipe to the inside of such wall, so that the connections with the house fixtures can be thereafter made from the inside, without digging up the pavement or surfaces outside of such wall. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-4 Right of entry.

§ 16-4. Right of entry. The Director of Public Works shall have the authority to enter upon the property of any person, association, or corporation through which the public or private sewers now or may hereafter run, in order to regulate or repair the same. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 46-468.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-5 Notice to make connections.

§ 16-5. Notice to make connections. (a) Director to notify HCD Commissioner. (1) Immediately after the Director of Public Works: (i) shall notify the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development that any portion of the sewerage system provided for by §§ 20-8 through 20-10 of the Code of Public Local Laws is in actual operation and in a condition to collect, transmit, and dispose of domestic or house sewerage; and (ii) shall impart to the Commissioner the metes and bounds of said portion of said sewerage system which is in such state of preparedness, (2) the said Commissioner shall notify, in writing, all owners of property within such metes and bounds to: (i) connect, at their own costs and expense, their respective house drains, at their respective building lines, with said sewerage system; (ii) clean out and fill up their respective privy sinks, wells, cesspools, or other sewerage or drainage receptacles; and (iii) abandon the use of their existing arrangements of every sort for the disposal of sewerage or drainage, within 15 days after the receipts of such notice. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-6 Compliance with notice.

§ 16-6. Compliance with notice. (a) In general. After receiving the notice provided for in § 16-5, and within the time stated therein, the owner of all such property: (1) shall comply with the terms and requirements of said notice; (2) shall make said connections with the said sewerage system and do all of the things prescribed by said notice: (i) in a thorough and workmanlike manner; (ii) in faithful conformity with all existing laws, ordinances, or regulations relating to plumbing; and (iii) especially so that no water from roofs or cellars or ground water will enter such portion of said sewerage system; (3) shall also fill in all cesspools cleaned out pursuant to said notice with good, pure material; and (4) in cases where the old drain is to cross a cesspool in order to reach the new sewers, shall lay an iron instead of a vitrified pipe across said cesspool. (b) Extensions for completion. Provided, however, that upon application within said 15 days by and such owners to the Commissioner for an extension of time within which to complete said connection and other work by the section directed to be done, the said Commissioner shall grant a further time of not less than 15 days for the doing of all said work. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-7 Approval of work required.

§ 16-7. Approval of work required. (a) In general. Before the work provided for in § 16-6 shall be covered up or put in operation, the said work must be approved by the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development or the Commissioner’s representative. (b) Penalties. Any violation of the provision of this section shall subject the offender to a penalty of not less than $5 or no more than $1,000 to be collected as other fines are collected. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-8 Work by City.

§ 16-8. Work by City. (a) Commissioner to notify Director. Should any owner of any such property refuse, neglect, or fail to comply with any of the terms or requirements of their said notice within the time therein stated or the extension thereof, if extended as provided in § 16-6 hereof, then upon the expiration of the time limited in said notice, if no application has been made for an extension, or upon the expiration of the extended time, if any extension has been granted as hereinabove provided, the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development is hereby empowered and directed to make written request upon the Director of Public Works of Baltimore City to make the necessary connection and do the other work hereinabove required to be done in and upon such property. (b) Director to perform work. Thereupon, the said Director is hereby directed to: (1) perform all the work required of the said owner of said property; (2) supply all the materials needed therefor; and (3) keep an accurate account of the cost of such materials and work upon each of such properties separately. (c) Report of work. Upon the completion of the work, the said Director shall make a written report stating, as to each property separately: (1) that the said connections have been made and said work done; (2) the costs of the labor and material required in doing the same, to which he shall add a lump sum of $50 as a penalty upon the owner for failing to comply with this subtitle and to cover administrative or supervisory expenses; (3) the description of the property by street and number; and (4) the name of the owner. (d) Notice of expenses to owner. Thereupon the Director shall: (1) notify the owner of said property of the amount of the total expense; and (2) in said notice, appoint a day for such owner to appear before him and show cause if any exists why said total expense should not be charged against the said property. (e) Charge of expenses to owner. (1) If such party shall fail to appear within the time limited, or fail to show any just reason why said charge should not be made, the Director shall cause such charge to be entered in the records to be provided for that purpose and kept in the office of the Director of Finance. (2) Said records shall show the amount of the expense for making the sewer connection and the date when said expense was incurred by the Director and said administrative charge or penalty. (3) The interest herein directed to be charged shall be at the rate set from time to time by the Board of Estimates. (f) Administrative review. Any person thus charged with the expense of such connection, as hereinabove provided, shall have the same right of appeal to the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals and within the same time and by the same procedure, as is now provided by law. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-9 Ground water in system.

§ 16-9. Ground water in system. (a) Notice to correct. Should it appear at any time as to any connection made with any portion of the said sewage system, as provided for in § 16-6 hereof, that ground water passes through said connection, then upon notice to that effect, which may be given in the same manner as that pointed out by § 16-2 hereof, the offending owner shall within 30 days relay said connection so that said ground water will cease to enter said sewerage system. (b) Work by City. Should any such owner refuse, neglect, or fail to relay said connection in said manner within the time specified, then upon the expiration of the time specified the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development is hereby empowered and directed to proceed in the same way as that set forth in § 16-8 hereof, and there shall be the same lien and the same right to charge and add to the tax bill and the same liability to punishment, and the same consequences in every respect as are provided for in § 16-8 hereof. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058.)

Baltimore City Code, Article 25, § 16-10 Interference with Director or Commissioner prohibited.

§ 16-10. Interference with Director or Commissioner prohibited. (a) Director acting under § 16-3. The owners of all improvements on lots adjacent to any highway, where sewers have been or may be laid, and where the Director of Public Works is directed by § 16-3 of this article to carry the pipes to the inside of the walls of such improvements, are hereby directed not to interfere with the Director, his agents or servants, in any manner in the performance of the duties put upon him by § 16-3 of this article; and any property owner who interferes with the Director, his agents or servants, in the performance of said duty shall be subject to a fine, imprisonment, or both, as provided in § 23-3 of this article. (b) Director or Commissioner acting under §§ 16-5 to 16-9. Any person interfering with the Commissioner of Housing and Community Development or the Director of Public Works or their agents or servants in the performance of any of the duties by §§ 16-5 through 16-9 required of them shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $10 or more than $1,000, to be collected as other penalties due the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore are collected. (Ord. 91-775; Ord. 84-129; Ord. 76-146; Ord. 59-164; Ord. 11-058; Ord. 11-044.)

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/25/16Fetched: 10/25/2026