Massachusetts General Laws
Chapter 83 - Sewers, Drains and Sidewalks
Section 5 - Separate Systems for Drainage of Water and Sewage

Section 5. In this section surface or storm water and such other waters as shall be specified by the department of public health shall be designated as waters and all other waters and sewage shall be designated as sewage. When a town has provided both a drain for waters and a sewer for sewage in a public way, the owner of every parcel of land abutting on such way or connected with such drain or sewer shall arrange his plumbing so that the waters shall be kept separate from the sewage; and shall make such connections with the drain and sewer respectively that the waters shall pass into the drain and the sewage into the sewer in accordance with the directions of the board or officer having charge of the repair and maintenance of sewers in such town.

Structure Massachusetts General Laws

Massachusetts General Laws

Part I - Administration of the Government

Title XIV - Public Ways and Works

Chapter 83 - Sewers, Drains and Sidewalks

Section 1 - Authorization; Connecting Sewers; Approval of Plans; Acquisition of Lands by Eminent Domain or Purchase; Agreements With Municipalities or Districts; Contracts

Section 1a - Common Sewers and Main Drains in Public or Private Ways; Voter Approval and Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan

Section 1b - Connection of Abutting Land to Common Sewer; Requirements; Amendment of Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan

Section 1c - Certification by Board of Health for Additional Connections; Service for Municipal Buildings, Public Restrooms or Public Service Uses

Section 1d - Assessments Upon Connection of Abutting Land to Common Sewer

Section 1e - Written Decision Regarding Approval or Denial of Connection to Common Sewer; Appeal

Section 1f - Discrimination Prohibited

Section 1g - Separate Account; Collection, Deposit and Use of Funds

Section 1h - Borrowing or Assessing Funds for Construction of Wastewater Treatment System

Section 2 - Plans and Records

Section 3 - Sewer Connections

Section 3a - Private Ways; Repair of Sewers

Section 4 - Highway Ditches or Drains

Section 5 - Separate Systems for Drainage of Water and Sewage

Section 6 - Sewage Disposal Works

Section 7 - Examination of Sewage Disposal Works; Prevention of Nuisances

Section 8 - Digging Up Public Ways; Permits

Section 9 - Obstruction of Ditches

Section 10 - Rules and Regulations Regarding Use and Connections

Section 11 - Sewer Connections

Section 12 - Repair of Private Drains

Section 13 - Equity Jurisdiction

Section 14 - Sewer Assessments; Authorization

Section 15 - Sewerage Systems; Adoption; Assessment; Uniform Units; Separation of Costs

Section 15a - Redetermination of Assessment

Section 15b - Estimated Sewer Assessments; Construction of Water Pollution Control Facilities

Section 15c - Interest on Unpaid Balance of Sewer Betterment Assessment

Section 15d - Apportionment of Future Sewer Assessments or Unpaid Balances

Section 16 - Charge for Use of Sewers

Section 16a - Certificate of Acceptance; Effect; Recordation

Section 16b - Effective Date of Sewer Charge Lien; Termination; Methods of Collection and Enforcement of Rate or Charge

Section 16c - Certification of Rate or Charge to Assessors; Commitment as Tax

Section 16d - Application of Other Law; Powers of Tax Collectors

Section 16e - Remedies of Aggrieved Real Estate Owners

Section 16f - Recovery of Real Estate Owner Against Tenants

Section 16g - Deferral of Charges

Section 17 - Payment for Permanent Sewer Privileges

Section 18 - Method of Assessment

Section 19 - Assessments; Extension of Time for Payment

Section 20 - Fee for Use of Sewers

Section 21 - Assessment on Land Abutting on More Than One Way

Section 22 - Assessment of Sewers Built by Landowners

Section 23 - Cost of Sewers; Payment of Portion by Municipality

Section 24 - Assessment for Particular Sewers

Section 25 - Establishment of Sidewalks

Section 26 - Assessments for the Construction or Reconstruction of Sidewalk

Section 27 - Recording of Statements; Assessment Liens

Section 28 - Application of Betterment Law

Section 29 - Betterment Assessments Created by Special Act; Duration of Lien