SECTION 1. Section 45-14-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-14 entitled "Sewage Charges" is hereby amended to read as follows:

45-14-1. Power to assess charges against users. -- In addition to the powers, privileges, prerogatives, and authority that are now granted to each city and town, or any agency of a city or town, in connection with sewers or sewer systems of these municipalities, each city and town is authorized and empowered to enact ordinances assessing users of sewers or sewer systems of the cities and towns, a charge for the use of the sewers or sewer systems in an amount that bears a reasonable relation to the cost to the city or town of the service rendered to the users; provided, that in the case of the towns of Narragansett and Tiverton and the city of Woonsocket, all unpaid charges shall be a lien upon the real estate of the users. , and provided further that, in the case of the city of Woonsocket, the lien created hereby shall be a lien upon the house, building, tenement, lands and estate of the user in the same way and manner as taxes assessed on real estate are liens, and if not paid as required by the city of Woonsocket, shall be collected in the same manner that taxes assessed upon real estate are by law collected.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.