Public Service Authority reports progress on projects, warns of staffing and aging-infrastructure challenges

The Public Service Authority (PSA) reported to the Scott County Board of Supervisors on operations, recent accomplishments and upcoming capital needs.

PSA representative Dishman said the authority serves roughly two-thirds of the county, employs about 31 full- and part-time staff, maintains relatively low water and sewer rates compared with nearby utilities and is managing several funded projects. He noted the authority is expanding sewer lines in Hilton’s and Yuma and has a pipeline of projects that are funded but not yet under construction. "We think that the Hilton Sewer Project will be completed in calendar year 2027," Dishman told the board.

Dishman emphasized funding and staffing constraints and the difficulties of extending service in sparsely populated rural areas (long line lengths and higher per-household costs). He said aging treatment plants—one as old as 70 years—create maintenance burdens and that the authority is pursuing grant–loan funding mixes and an economic analysis to assess long-term options for water supply and plant upgrades. Board members thanked the PSA for its work and asked follow-up questions about expansion feasibility and cybersecurity preparedness for critical control systems; Dishman said the PSA is monitoring cyber threats that have recently affected other utilities and has IT safeguards in place.