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The right of the municipality to install a water line underground across Owner A's property involves what kind of acquisition?

  1. Air rights

  2. Subsurface rights

  3. Easements

  4. Fee simple rights

The correct answer is: Subsurface rights

The correct answer centers on the concept of easements. When a municipality has the authority to install a water line underground across a property, it does not acquire ownership of the land itself; instead, it is granted a specific right to use a portion of that land for a particular purpose. This is characterized as an easement, which is a legal interest in land that allows the holder certain limited rights to use the property of another for a specific purpose. Easements for utilities are quite common, as they enable companies or municipalities to maintain and operate essential services without needing to obtain full ownership of the land. The property owner typically retains ownership rights but must allow the easement holder to use the designated area for the agreed-upon purpose. Subsurface rights pertain to the rights to the minerals and resources that exist beneath the surface of the property, which is not necessarily relevant to the installation of a water line. Air rights refer to the space above a property, which, while important in urban development, does not apply in this scenario. Fee simple rights represent complete ownership of a property, including the land and everything on it, which also does not accurately describe the municipality's limited right to use a portion of Owner A’s land.