Public utilities provide electric, gas, water or telephone service to customers in a specified area. Utilities have a duty to provide safe and adequate service on reasonable terms to anyone who lives within the service area on without discriminating between customers. Because most utilities operate in near monopolistic conditions, they can be heavily regulated by local, state, and federal authorities. Generally, the local and state agencies are called Public Service Commissions (PSC) or Public Utility Commissions (PUC). Municipal Utilities and Rural Electric Cooperatives may be unregulated though.
Leggett (formerly, Leggett Valley) is an unincorporated community in Mendocino County, California. It is located on the South Fork of the Eel River 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Laytonville, at an elevation of 984 feet (300 m). It is home to some of the largest trees in the world. Nearby Smithe Redwood State Reserve and the Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area are noted for their forests of Coastal Redwoods. Leggett is served by California's State Route 1, whose northern terminus with U.S. Route 101 is just outside the community. The town of Leggett includes a single gas station, K-12 school, two convenience stores, pizza parlor, fire station and Drive-Thru Tree. The Leggett post office opened in 1949.