The Metropolitan Utilities District, or M.U.D., is the political subdivision and public corporation of the State of Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

 that operates the drinking water and natural gas systems for Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...

 and surrounding areas. M.U.D. is the only metropolitan utilities district in the State of Nebraska, and the fifth largest public natural gas utility in the U.S.

History

Founded by the Nebraska Legislature as the Metropolitan Water District in 1913, five years later, under the leadership of Omaha Mayor Jim Dahlman, the state legislator

Nebraska Legislature

The Nebraska Legislature is the supreme legislative body of the State of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County....

s authorized the City of Omaha to assign the responsibility for operation of the gas system to the Metropolitan Water District. The name was changed to the Metropolitan Utilities District.

Operations

According to Nebraska State law, M.U.D. may enter contracts, promulgate regulations, set water and natural gas rates, buy, sell or lease land and issue revenue bonds. It can also can levy a water tax of 1.5 mills or less for fire protection, and collect sewer fees and other utility charges for other governmental agencies in areas where it provides water at retail.

Currently, M.U.D. provides natural gas service to 216,153 customers and provides water service to 200,491 customers. M.U.D's governing body is a seven-member board of directors, publicly elected to six-year terms on a nonpartisan basis.