Some customers really struggle financially, and the worst worry they have is having their utilities discontinued due to non-payment of their bill.

To help these customers, Morristown Utility Systems has established the Project Help Program. This program allows any and all customers to make contributions to this fund which helps provide funds for those less fortunate in paying their utility bill. Whether it’s $1, $5, $10, or more these contributions can be made as a one-time donation or it can be set up as a monthly commitment billed along with the customer’s utility payment. You will find a box on your monthly statement where you can notate the amount you are designating as a contribution to project help.

ALL donations are tax deductible!

The funds are distributed through the local Central Services office, where the evaluation for need is determined. Please call their office at 586-9431.

This system is available 24 hours a day to report any power or water outage you have. The system matches your telephone number with critical account information that allows the dispatcher to better respond to your outage. If you’d like, the system can call you back to confirm that your service has been restored. Your telephone number is critical to our being able to respond to your outage in a timely fashion. Please remember to keep us informed of any telephone number changes by calling 586-4121.

You should still use the business number at 586-4121 to report other problems such as street lights and security light outages or to report a meter leak. 

How to report power and water outages and using the automated outage reporting system 

• Call 317-8845. 
• The system will ask you to enter the phone number where the outage is occurring. Enter all 10 digits, including the area code.
• Enter the telephone number where the outage is occurring. The number provides the dispatcher with critical service information about your account that is not available if you don’t enter your telephone number. If you don’t have a touch-tone phone, you will be asked to leave a voice message.
• Enter the number which best describes your outage. You will have three choices.
• Press 1 if your power is out and you don’t know why 
• Press 2 if your power is out and you have information that will help us fix the problem quicker. Please let us know about any information that will help us troubleshoot the problem, for example if you’ve heard a loud noise or see a tree on the power line. 
• Press 3 if you have a water outage. You will be asked to leave a message describing the outage. Please let us know about any information that will help us respond to the problem faster. 
• You’re finished! That’s all there is to reporting an outage. 
• The dispatcher will immediately be alerted of your problem and can dispatch the proper personnel to repair the problem. 

If someone at your residence has the need for electricity driven life support equipment there is a program available. Under this program, your power will retain enough kilowatts to run the life support equipment in the case of your electricity being shut off for non-payment of a bill. If the outage is due to disruption of service due to general outage where lines are downed or a natural disaster occurs, we will be unable to supply service even under life support conditions.

• Sign up requires filling out our standard applications. (pdf)
• A note from your doctor stating need of equipment.
• An update of these items every 6 months is required to stay in effect. 

This is a community wide fund that you are able to donate to through your monthly utility bill. It is distributed through the Morristown Utility Systems Board of Commissioners on an economic or charitable need basis to be determined per request.

The advantage of this is goodwill in the local community. Another advantage is that your bill will be rounded up from the actual amount to an even amount at the next highest dollar amount (example: $67.49 will be on your bill as an even $68.00 with the $.0.51 going into the fund). Your monthly donation will never be more than $0.99 and never less than $00.01 per monthly billing cycle.

Operation Roundup began in January 2004 and through the first five years this funding has improved the recreational activities of the Morristown City Parks and Recreation. Lighting systems have been significantly upgraded at the Frank Lorino Tennis Courts, two softball fields at Frank Lorino Park and the Sherwood Park Baseball Field. Funding also supported the Splash Pad at Fred Miller Park. During 2008, Roundup will be used to upgrade the poor lighting system at the Burke-Toney Football Field, a venue housing numerous football and soccer games which affects many students and parents of the community. Due to the current economic climate 1/4 of all current funding is being placed toward project help.

MUS congratulates those who participate in Operation Roundup as shared investors in recreational projects that improve the quality of life for adults and students in the Lakeway community.

Trees in Morristown pose an ever-present threat to the electric system. For that reason, Morristown Utility Systems maintains an active Tree Trimming/Tree Replacement Program, which includes not only clearance of limb obstruction, but replacement if the tree has to be completely removed. If a tree must be removed, our customers are given a choice from various low growth species of trees for replacement.

One question that we are often asked about our program is: "What method do you use to trim our trees?" Our crews use only the "lateral" or "natural" trimming method. In this method, limbs are removed at the nearest main branch and not trimmed in length. We will not "top" a tree unless it is absolutely necessary, and we will not "round" trees.

The method we use is recommended and endorsed by experts, including the Arbor Day Foundation.

We are one of only eleven in Tennessee who have been designated as Tree-Line USA Utilities due to our quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education & Tree-based energy conservation programs and practices as required by the National Association of State Foresters and the Arbor Day Foundation

Our crews work continually to make sure the lines are clear from tree obstruction, which is another way you can count us for reliable utility service. If you would like more information on this program please call Chuck Smith at 423-317-6287.