Emerging Issues Forum - Utility Information Pipeline My takeaways from attending the 2026 Emerging Issues Forum, Future Forward Water, sponsored by the Institute for Emerging Issues

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #365 - March 10, 2026 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

PSC certifies annual fuel and management audits for Mississippi Power and Entergy Mississippi The commission certified fiscal-year audits for Mississippi Power and Entergy Mississippi to the legislature, receiving clean opinions and a set of recommendations from contract auditors; commissioners discussed fuel mix, generation and the potential rate impacts of large industrial customers.

Mississippi Power and Entergy Mississippi just passed their annual audits with flying colors, but important recommendations could reshape the future of energy costs in the state.

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#MS #EnergyAudit #CitizenPortal #MississippiPower #UtilityManagement #PublicTransparency

Nassau County is taking a bold step towards a coordinated utility authority by proposing to invest $1.5 million into a special fund to streamline water, sewer, and waste management!

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#NassauCounty #FL #InfrastructurePlanning #CitizenPortal #InterlocalAgreements #UtilityManagement

Engineering director asks council to endorse fiber right‑of‑way policy as multiple providers arrive Director of Engineering Patrick Lewis presented a draft right‑of‑way policy for multiple incoming fiber providers, flagging Metro Act revenue, limits on collecting separate permit fees, cabinet placement restrictions, proposed bonding and depth guidance to reduce damage to private sewer leads.

Monroe is on the verge of a fiber optic boom, but new policies could shape how providers build in your neighborhood!

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#MonroeCityMonroeCounty #MI #CitizenPortal #InfrastructureDevelopment #CommunitySafety #MonroeCity #UtilityManagement

Senate committee hears support for bill requiring notice when small water systems change ownership; bill later advanced At a public hearing on Second Substitute House Bill 1906, utility representatives and a PUD urged clearer notice to customers and forward-looking cost projections when small or failing water systems are sold; the committee later passed the bill as amended and sent it to Ways and Means.

A new bill aims to empower customers with clearer notifications and future cost projections when small water systems change hands, ensuring they make informed decisions about their water services.

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#WA #PublicNotice #CitizenPortal #CostTransparency #UtilityManagement

2026 Utility Staffing Survey Invitation - Utility Information Pipeline An invitation to participate in the 2026 Utility Staffing Survey, which examines staffing levels and how utilities handle labor-intensive practices.

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #364 - February 24, 2026 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee advances a slate of local and policy bills The subcommittee reported favorably on more than a dozen bills addressing utilities, local government spending, housing, coastal management and veterans housing. This roundup lists each measure the committee advanced and the recorded roll-call outcome.

The Florida House Intergovernmental Affairs Subcommittee just greenlit a sweeping set of bills that could reshape utilities, housing, and local governance—are you ready for the changes ahead?

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#FL #CitizenPortal #VeteransSupport #HousingReform #UtilityManagement

Smart cities don’t work on “best guess” maintenance — they run on traceable assets.
know more:zurl.co/3hvWP
#TrackAndTrace #RFID #SmartCity #UtilityManagement #AssetTracking #Infrastructure #MaintenanceAutomation #FieldService #DigitalIdentity #IoT #Industry40

Try to avoid this… - Utility Information Pipeline Are you about to embark on a new billing software implementation? Steps you can take to try to avoid this potentially serious complication.

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #363 - February 10, 2026 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Municipal utilities tell House committee disconnects are last resort as H.753 is debated At a House Energy and Digital Infrastructure hearing on H.753, Scott Johnstone, a municipal utility manager, said disconnections are "the very last resort," urged light-touch reporting and inclusion of protections in utilities' integrated resource plans, and raised concerns about price volatility and rigid metrics.

Municipal utility leader Scott Johnstone warns that disconnections are a "last resort," highlighting the financial pressures and price volatility that small utilities face in Vermont.

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#VT #EnergyPolicy #CitizenPortal #CustomerProtection #VermontUtilities #UtilityManagement

PG&E details pipeline and meter work that it says cut methane 52% from 2015 baseline; tradeoffs and diminishing returns discussed PG&E engineers summarized the super‑emitter program, meter‑set leak management and transmission blowdown strategies, saying the company reached a 52% emissions reduction versus 2015 and mitigated 2.8 BCF via blowdown measures in recent years. CPUC staff questioned tradeoffs among replacement programs, GRC funding and marginal cost per MSCF avoided.

PG&E has achieved an impressive 52% reduction in methane emissions since 2015, but the road ahead is fraught with tough choices and trade-offs.

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#CA #CitizenPortal #MethaneReduction #UtilityManagement #EmissionAbatement

Another reminder - Utility Information Pipeline During the impending winter storm, why not give your customers another reminder to consider paperless billing and electronic payments?

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #362 - January 27, 2026 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Seaford council keeps PCAC intact to avoid rate swings, votes to carry refund to 2027 The Seaford Mayor and Council unanimously adopted option 2 for the Power Cost Adjustment Clause (PCAC), choosing to leave rates steady in 2026 and carry an overcollection (~$540,000) forward rather than give an immediate rebate that officials said could force higher increases in 2027.

Seaford's council takes a bold step to keep power rates stable in 2026, opting to carry a $540,000 overcollection into future bills instead of issuing immediate rebates.

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#SeafordSussexCounty #DE #RateStability #SeafordPower #UtilityManagement #CitizenPortal #CivicAccountability

PUC flags meter, administrative and capacity questions for S.202 The Vermont Public Utility Commission told the Natural Resources & Energy committee that S.202 leaves ambiguous how exports would be measured and compensated, how the commission would handle notice forms, and whether customers could deploy multiple portable systems at a single account.

The Vermont Public Utility Commission warns that the new bill could create confusion over how energy exports are measured, leaving consumers at risk of inconsistent outcomes.

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#VT #EnergyPolicy #UtilityManagement #CitizenPortal #RegulatoryClarity #VermontPublicUtility

BLW Board hears December financials as staff flags low water demand and a large MEAG tax refund Board staff reported tighter operating margins, lower water volumes and a corrected reserves handout; an email from MEAG's CEO referencing a U.S. Treasury refund was read aloud but the dollar figure in the discussion was inconsistent and will be reviewed.

The BLW Board in Marietta is grappling with declining water demand and tighter margins, while a mysterious MEAG tax refund could hold the key to financial recovery.

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#MariettaCobbCounty #GA #EnergyMarket #PublicFinance #MariettaWater #UtilityManagement #CitizenPortal

Do you still do this…? - Utility Information Pipeline Do you still check postmarks on mail payments received after the due date? Find out why a recent change from the USPS may impact this.

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #361 - January 13, 2026 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Happy New Year 2026! - Utility Information Pipeline Taking a moment to say "thank you" for your support over the past year and look forward and wish you a very Happy New Year 2026!

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #360 - December 30, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Jones County officials, utilities outline limits of local infrastructure, $25M water expansion and how large projects pay for upgrades At a public session hosted by the Jones County Development Authority, regional planners and utility providers described how the county evaluates potential industry projects, explained thresholds for ‘large’ electric and water loads, and said developers or large customers generally fund needed infrastructure while the county pursues a $25 million water-system expansion.

Jones County is on the brink of transformative economic growth, but can its infrastructure keep up with the demands of booming industries like aerospace and data centers?

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#JonesCounty #GA #JonesCountyEconomicDevelopment #EconomicGrowth #UtilityManagement #InfrastructureExpansion

Dothan commission approves grants, equipment contracts and a $94,500 utility rate study The commission approved multiple resolutions Dec. 16: HUD CAPER submission, small grants for sports and arts, contracts for venue analytics and wildlife management, a Bulletproof Vest Partnership grant, and a Jackson Thornton consulting contract for a utility cost-of-service study priced at $94,500 (plus $1,825 monthly).

Dothan City Commission just approved a series of exciting resolutions, including grants for youth sports and arts, and a significant $94,500 utility rate study!

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#DothanCityHoustonCounty #AL #CommunityDevelopment #DothanCity #PublicFunding #UtilityManagement

Has this happened to you…? - Utility Information Pipeline Has this happened to you where a customer uses bogus routing or account numbers to make a fraudulent echeck payment online?

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #359 - December 16, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Do you offer this option…? - Utility Information Pipeline Do you offer the option to your customers of receiving a paper bill and an ebill? This blog post explains why that's a bad idea.

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #358 - December 2, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

MLGW presents 2026 operating and capital budget with small IBEW‑negotiated increase Memphis Light, Gas & Water presented its $2.6 billion 2026 operating and capital budgets and a set of consent‑agenda contracts, noting a 0.2% increase tied to an agreement with IBEW and a multi‑million‑dollar permit drawdown arrangement with the City of Memphis.

Memphis Light, Gas & Water is proposing a groundbreaking $2.6 billion budget that could reshape utility operations and save millions—are you ready to find out how?

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#MemphisCityShelbyCounty #TN #BudgetPlanning #CitizenPortal #WorkforceAutomation #MemphisCity #UtilityManagement

NI Water is streamlining key processes and saving valuable time through smart automation with IMGS & FME.
Read our customer story in full here: zurl.co/2SBFY @niwater.bsky.social #UtilityManagement #ProcessAutomation #DigitalTransformation @Safe Software

SCE and PG&E advocate engineering‑guided decision rules, scenario inputs and local engineering judgment SCE proposed an engineering ‘decision diamond’ that consults pending‑load and scenario planning outputs; PG&E emphasized engineer‑led decisions grounded in standards and ESOP economic analysis, with varied corner cases requiring project‑specific review.

SCE and PG&E are revolutionizing energy planning with engineering guidelines that promise to streamline decision-making and enhance capacity management—are you ready for the future of energy?

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#CA #CitizenPortal #EnergyPlanning #UtilityManagement #InfrastructureDevelopment

The penny predicament - Utility Information Pipeline As the production of pennies ends, do you find your office in the penny predicament - how will you make exact change if there are no pennies?

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #357 - November 18, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Are you prepared…? - Utility Information Pipeline With SNAP benefits ending due to the federal government shutdown, are you prepared for customers who won't be able to pay their utility bill?

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #356 - November 4, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Board approves rezoning, height waiver for proposed data‑center campus near Page Road The Powhatan County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the rezoning of 61.8 acres northeast of Page Road and a conditional use permit allowing rooftop equipment up to 90 feet to accommodate a proposed data‑center campus. County staff and the applicant said the project could bring a multi‑billion‑dollar capital investment, but board members,

The Powhatan County Board just greenlit a massive data-center campus project that could inject billions into the local economy!

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#PowhatanCounty #VA #CitizenPortal #PublicSafetyPlanning #PowhatanCountyEconomicDevelopment #DataCenterInvestment #UtilityManagement

What resources do you use? - Utility Information Pipeline What resources do you use to find answers to questions you have and other useful information? Here are some that I find especially helpful.

Gary Sanders' Utility Information Pipeline #355 - October 21, 2025 #utilitymanagement #utilities #utilitybilling

Los Alamos Gas System Update Highlights Infrastructure Improvements and Leak Repairs Annual update reveals significant upgrades and ongoing challenges in Los Alamos gas distribution.

Los Alamos County is tackling significant gas distribution upgrades and urgent repairs, revealing both the challenges and triumphs in enhancing community safety and service.

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#NM #CitizenPortal #PublicSafety #LosAlamosCounty #InfrastructureImprovements #UtilityManagement

City Engineers Review Utility and Site Plans for Central Avenue Development City engineers approve utility plans and request adjustments for Central Avenue development project.

The City of Sarasota's Development Review Committee is making critical decisions on utility plans and fire safety for a major new project—what's at stake for the community?

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#FL #CitizenPortal #FireSafety #CityRegulations #UtilityManagement #SarasotaDevelopment