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.
Topaz (also, Topaz Post Office) is an unincorporated community in Mono County, California. It is located 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Coleville, at an elevation of 5033 feet (1534 m). Topaz's ZIP Code is 96133. According to the Mono County's government website, the population as of 2000 was 530.