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.
West Liberty is a city in Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,332 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Muscatine Micropolitan Statistical Area. West Liberty is home to the West Liberty Raceway. It also has a fairgrounds, where the Muscatine County Fair takes place. West Liberty Foods, a producer of turkey products, has a meat processing facility as well as its corporate headquarters here. Many community service organizations are active within the community, particularly the local Rotary Club.