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.
Preston (also Pleasant Springs) is an unincorporated community in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States. It lies at the intersection of State Highways 21 and 397 northwest of the city of De Kalb, the county seat of Kemper County. Preston, MS is home to the "Crazy Dawg Lady," director of the Helter Skelter Animal Shelter. Its elevation is 541 feet (165 m). Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 39354.