Massachusetts General Laws Part I. Administration of the Government (Ch. 1-182) Ch. 83, § 27

Whenever the aldermen of a city or the sewer commissioners, selectmen or road commissioners of a town lay out or determine to construct a sewer or drain in a public way, or in a way opened or dedicated to the public use which has not become a public way, or adopt an order for the establishment or reconstruction of a sidewalk for such a way, and assessments may be made or charges imposed under this chapter for the construction of such improvement or the use thereof, they shall forthwith cause to be recorded in the registry of deeds of the county or district in which such city or town is situated a statement of their action, which shall specify the ways in which such sewer, drain or sidewalk is located. All assessments made or charges imposed under this chapter upon land which abuts upon any such way in which such sewer, drain or sidewalk is located shall constitute a lien upon such land from the time such statement is recorded and all charges authorized by section sixteen shall from the time of assessment constitute a lien upon the land connected with the common sewer. Liens under this section shall continue for the same period and under the same conditions as a lien established under chapter eighty.