HB 1176 Summary

• Authorizes rates and charges from municipally owned water utilities to constitute a lien against served properties, superior to all liens except tax liens.

• Establishes that water utility liens attach, enforce, and foreclose using the same methods as existing wastewater utility liens under IC 36-9-23.

• Allows municipalities owning both water and wastewater utilities to assert liens under either statute or both when both water service charges and sewage fees are delinquent on the same property.

• When a municipality files liens under both statutes simultaneously, the combined lien covers total delinquencies for both services with equal precedence; if filed at different times, the first-filed lien takes precedence.

• Effective date: July 1, 2014.