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.
Homestead is an unincorporated community in Iowa County, Iowa, United States. It has the ZIP code 52236. The Amana Colonies purchased the town from the Rock Island Railroad to use as a transportation hub. A meteorite struck the town in 1875. Homestead is home to a Minneapolis-Moline tractor convention. At one time the town was home to a butcher shop, small store, blacksmith shop, a dentist's office, several gift shops, winery, gas station and two restaurants, although all have since closed.