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.
Mertztown is an unincorporated community in Longswamp Township in eastern Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Its zip code is 19539. The former Reading Railroad runs through the center of Mertztown, it is used by Norfolk Southern and it is a heavily used railroad branch. The Catasauqua and Fogelsville Railroad used to go through the Farmington and Klines Corner section of Mertztown but the tracks were tore up years ago. Atlas Minerals, a big mineral company is located in Mertztown, they moved to the town in 1917 and have been there ever since. Brandywine Heights Area High School is also located in Mertztown, as is Gateway Christian School. Mertztown is also the home of the International Juggling Association's World Juggling Champion, LeRoy Hermany.