Senate Bill 2870 Summary

• Amends the Mississippi Gulf Coast Region Utility Act to clarify that county utility authorities in George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, and Stone counties facilitate voluntary coordination of water, wastewater, and storm water services rather than mandating consolidation.

• Limits the direct provision of water, wastewater, and storm water services by county authorities to their certificated service areas as defined by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, except for storm water services which may be delegated through written memoranda of understanding.

• Consolidates existing regional wastewater authorities into county utility authorities: the Harrison County Wastewater and Solid Waste Management District merges with Harrison County Utility Authority, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Regional Wastewater Authority merges with Jackson County Utility Authority, with the Southern Regional Wastewater Management District merging with Hancock County Utility Authority.

• Authorizes county utility authorities to exercise eminent domain for water, wastewater, and storm water systems, but prohibits the use of eminent domain within areas already certificated by the Public Service Commission as of the bill's passage.

• Allows certificates of public convenience and necessity held by municipalities, public agencies, and utilities to be voluntarily transferred to county authorities with Public Service Commission approval upon finding that such transfer is in the public interest.