For each service connection under § 23–202 of this article, the Commission shall set a connection charge that the Commission determines to be reasonable. Subject to a yearly revision by the Commission: for connections of the sizes and classes for which the average cost reasonably may be ascertained, the connection charge shall be uniform throughout the sanitary district; and for all other connections, the connection charge shall be the actual cost. All property owners shall pay the connection charge to the Commission before the actual connection of any line on private property is made. Of the total revenue over actual cost that is derived from the connection charges, the Commission shall: retain one–half of the revenue in a contingency fund for repair, replacement, or any extraordinary expense in the maintenance and operation of water supply or sewer systems under the control of the Commission; and apply one–half of the revenue to pay the Commission’s debt service for outstanding debts.

If the Commission determines that it is feasible, reasonable, and economical, the Commission may place in a separate class a water or sanitary sewer connection that is made to a water or sewer line installed in a street, road, alley, or right–of–way that has not been paved or otherwise improved to avoid the necessity of replacing pavement or street improvements on installation of the connection. The Commission may: impose a connection charge based on the actual cost of the connections, including the Commission inspection charge; or provide for the installation of the connections, including taps into a main or line, by the applicant or at the applicant’s cost, under supervision and inspection of the Commission. The Commission may authorize any class of connection from its water line or sanitary sewer line to be constructed beyond the property line of the property to be served if the connecting line is constructed at the same time from the main to the structure on the property to be served. The property owner shall pay the entire expense of the construction and maintenance of the part of the connecting line from the property line into the property.

If the Commission provides for a class of connections for unimproved areas as provided in § 25–302 of this subtitle: the charges for water and sanitary sewer connections to similar properties in developed areas may be based on the Commission’s calculation, based on its experience, of an average cost for connections in both unimproved and developed areas; and the Commission may specify this connection charge as the uniform connection charge provided in § 25–301 of this subtitle for connections installed by the Commission in developed areas. Any difference between the actual cost of the connections and the uniform connection charge shall be paid from the water service charge or a sewer usage charge, as applicable.

The Commission may provide for the installation of the water or sewer connection as part of the construction of a water or sewer lateral line where the property to which the connection is made has not been assessed a front foot benefit charge under § 25–203 of this title. If an installation is made under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Commission shall collect the deferred part of the connection charge by the benefit charge assessment procedure under §§ 25–204(e) and 25–209 of this title. If the water or sewer lateral line has been constructed or where the property for which an application for connection is made has been assessed a benefit charge under § 25–204 of this title and the property is in an agricultural, small acreage, or residential class, the Commission may provide for an installment payment method for all or a part of the water and sewer connection charges for single family residential units with individual water or sewer connections. If an installment payment method is established and chosen by an applicant for connection: the installation of the connection is an additional benefit to the property; and the applicant is liable for payment for the additional benefit until the deferred charge has been amortized under the schedule that the Commission requires. The connection charge benefit assessment is payable as provided in §§ 25–204(e) and 25–209 of this title.

In adopting or amending any regulation under this subtitle, and in establishing or modifying water or sewer connection charges under §§ 25–302 and 25–303 of this subtitle, the Commission shall comply with the requirements of § 17–403 of this article.