Sec. 1. P&SL 1957, c. 59, §17 is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

*Sec. 17.__Lien to secure payment of rates; procedure.__When a rate, toll, rent or other charge has been committed to the treasurer of the Limestone Water and Sewer District for collection, the treasurer may, after the expiration of 3 months and within one year after the date when the charge became due and payable, give to the owner of the real estate served, or leave at the owner's last and usual place of abode, or send by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner's last known address, a written notice signed by the treasurer or bearing the treasurer's facsimile signature stating the amount of that rate, toll, rent or other charge describing the real estate upon which the lien is claimed and stating that a lien is claimed to secure payment of the charge and demanding payment within 30 days after service or mailing of the notice plus $1 for the treasurer for mailing the notice together with the certified mail, return receipt requested, fee.__The notice must contain a statement that the district is willing to arrange installment payments of the outstanding debt.__For the purpose of this section, a mobile home is defined as real estate.__After the expiration of the 30-day period and within one year, the treasurer shall record in the Aroostook County Registry of Deeds a certificate signed by the treasurer setting forth the amount of the rate, toll, rent or other charge and the real estate on which the lien is claimed and stating that a lien is claimed to secure payment of the charge and that__notice and demand for payment of the charge has been given or made in accordance with the provisions of this section and that the charge remains unpaid.__At the time of the recording of a certificate in the registry of deeds, the treasurer shall file in the office of the district a true copy of the certificate and mail a true copy of the certificate by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each record holder of any mortgage on the real estate, addressed to the record holder at the record holder's last and usual place of abode.

The filing of the certificate in the registry of deeds is deemed to create a mortgage on the real estate described in the deed for the district that has priority over all other mortgages, liens, attachments and encumbrances of any nature except liens, attachments and claims for taxes and gives to the district all the rights usually possessed by mortgagees, except that the district as mortgagee does not have a right to possession of the real estate until the right of redemption provided for has expired.__If the mortgage, together with interest and costs, is not paid within 18 months after the date of filing of the