Decatur Utilities is observing national Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day on March 18, 2022. This is the seventh year in which Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day has been officially celebrated across the country. This day of recognition is a time when communities such as ours give recognition to the employees who provide one of their most valuable assets—their natural gas utility. The March 18 date was chosen because that is the date of the New London, Texas school explosion in 1937 that led to the widespread odorization of natural gas and an increased emphasis on safety. Safety is a vital aspect to natural gas distribution and the employees of distribution companies like DU endeavor to make natural gas delivery as safe as possible. DU educates customers on how to identify a potential leak by smell (rotten egg odor), sound (hissing) and sight (dirt being disturbed or standing water bubbling.) We also inform customers of the proper steps to take if a leak is suspected: evacuate the building to a safe distance, don’t use any appliances or devices that could cause a spark and contact DU dispatch immediately. This annual nationwide event is intended to build public awareness about the hard work done by the employees of natural gas utilities. Natural gas is a safe, economical energy alternative for heating homes, heating water and fueling business and industrial practices. Our customers recognize the need to access reliable, affordable, safe energy and depend on the service of our natural gas employees. DU’s Natural Gas Department, part of the Gas/Water/Wastewater Operations Group, has been honored many times with industry awards for safety and best practices, including the American Public Gas Association’s (APGA) System Operational Achievement Recognition (SOAR) Bronze Award in 2018 as well as multiple APGA Safety Awards over the years. DU’s Energy Analysis staff also works diligently to monitor the natural gas market and purchase natural gas supply well into the future to hedge against future spot market price spikes so ratepayers enjoy more stable monthly bills. To learn more about natural gas availability at your location and natural gas rebates, contact DU Customer Service at 256-552-1400 Opt. 4. More on the New London School explosion:

Beginning Monday, October 4th, Decatur Utilities will begin a quality control survey of the DU natural gas system to ensure public safety and the proper operation of gas lines and meters. This survey is required by the Federal Department of Transportation-Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) and The Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC). As required annually, the survey will check for leaks in all natural gas mains and business/commercial service lines in Decatur. One-fifth of residential service lines are checked each year. This year’s residential survey area (#3) includes portions of Decatur bordered by Clearview St. SW and Flint Creek on the north, Red Bank Rd SE on the south, I-65 on the east, and Spring Ave. SW on the west. (Reference map attached). This project will involve a slow moving vehicle (approximately 5 MPH) in streets, alleys and highways throughout Decatur. A portion of the work may be conducted at night when traffic is lighter. Some parts of the gas system are only accessible by foot by a technician using handheld gas detection instruments. The survey work will be conducted by Heath Consultants Inc. of Houston, Texas, a specialist in gas leak detection. Vehicles operated by Heath Consultants Inc. will have signs on the vehicle identifying the company and identifying them as an “Authorized Decatur Utilities Contractor.” In order to check for service line leaks, the Heath Consultants employee will require access to customer property and the gas meter. Heath Consultants employees will have identification and will explain their purpose for being on private property. During this survey, gas leaks found on Decatur Utilities equipment will be repaired and gas service restored. If gas leaks found are not on Decatur Utilities equipment, the homeowner or business will be notified and gas service will be disconnected until repairs are completed by the homeowner or business. It is anticipated this work will be completed by December 20, 2021. For additional information, please contact Jerry Parker, Measurement and Compliance Supervisor, by e-mail at jparker@decaturutilities.com or by phone at (256) 552-1404.

The Decatur Utilities Dry Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has been recognized with two prestigious awards – one for safety and one for operational excellence. Water Resources Manager Tom Cleveland and WWTP Superintendent Shannon Bailey presented the awards to employees at a recent WWTP Operations meeting. The plant received the national 2020 George W. Burke, Jr. Award* from the Water Environment Federation for its outstanding safety program and record. As of August 25, 2021, the WWTP has worked 2,767 consecutive days without an OSHA-recordable safety incident. Bailey said personnel undergo ongoing safety training including chlorine safety, safe operating procedures, defensive driving and maintaining a safe plant work environment. The plant also received the 2020 Excellence Award from Alabama’s Water Environment Association** for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plants > Category IV - 10 Million Gallons per Day (MGD). This award is based on an evaluation of the operational practices in place and an inspection of the plants facilities, records, manuals and compliance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Cleveland said the awards represent the importance DU’s WWTP and Water Resources personnel place on protecting the environment and staying safe. “From our plant operators and maintenance staff to engineers and technicians, this recognition is reflective of a true team effort,” he said. DU General Manager Ray Hardin echoed those sentiments, stating that he was proud of the team’s accomplishment – especially during the challenges of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “To maintain this level of safety and operational excellence is difficult during the best of times,” he said. “To do so during an ongoing pandemic is an even greater testament to this group’s dedication and determination.” ### Notes: * The WEF George W. Burke Jr. award was established in 1982 in honor of George W. Burke, Jr., for his many years of service to both the water environment field and WEF as staff manager of technical services. Mr. Burke was instrumental in developing WEF's annual safety survey and assisting in the production of several safety training aids and promotional packets. ** Alabama’s Water Environment Association (AWEA) is a not-for-profit, educational, and technical organization that has been dedicated to preserving, protecting, and managing Alabama’s waters since 1977. AWEA is a state-wide affiliate of the Water Environment Federation.

DU’s accelerated sewer rehabilitation program is now underway. While we are using a method called “pipe bursting” in order to keep impact to local streets as minimal as possible, there will be cuts in the pavement that will be repaired. We are working with our contractor to ensure that these repairs are made in a timely manner. If you have a concern with a particular area, you can notify us via private inbox message on this Facebook page, by visiting www.decaturutilities.com and clicking on the “Notify DU” button OR by calling 1-256-552-1446 and leaving a message. Please be sure to include detailed information on the area of concern including street name, nearest street address number or landmark and any cross streets nearby. Thank you.

Jordan Young, Wastewater Operations Superintendent for Decatur Utilities, has been recognized as the 2020 Young Professional of the Year by the Alabama/Mississippi Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Presentation of the award, which was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, was made by AWWA to Young on May 26th by John Hall, Alabama/Mississippi board vice-chairman and April Nabors, junior trustee. Young, who has been with DU for more than eight years, began his career as a utility engineer before moving into operations supervision in 2017. In February of 2020, Jordan accepted his current role and is now heading up improvements to the system’s sanitary sewer infrastructure to address Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). Jimmy Evans, Operations Manager, said Young has proven himself to be extremely effective in managing complex, multi-million-dollar water/wastewater operations projects and leading field crews tasked with rehabilitating and maintaining DU’s complex underground water and sanitary sewer collection network. “To aggressively address SSOs throughout much of our system, Jordan is now focusing his efforts to leading this vital effort,” said Evans. “We are proud of his recognition as AWWA’s Young Professional of the Year and can think of no one more deserving of this prestigious honor.” Ray Hardin, DU’s General Manager, echoed Evans’ sentiments. “Jordan truly reflects the values and ethics that we adhere to at DU,” Hardin said. “He and our entire employee team are dedicated to providing safe, reliable utility service at the lowest possible rate.” Young earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama at Huntsville in May of 2012. He is currently working toward a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. Young is also a graduate of the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Leadership program. The Alabama/Mississippi Section of the AWWA is comprised of water and wastewater treatment utilities in the region along with engineers, utility leaders, managers, scientists, and others who hold a genuine interest in water, the nation’s most important resource. Nationwide, AWWA’s membership includes 4,300 utilities and 51,000 total members. Video News Release available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=038JZGaGEFw ###

Decatur Utilities has released its 2021 Water Quality (Consumer Confidence) Report which includes testing data during Calendar Year 2020 (Jan 1, 2020 - Dec 31, 2020). DU customers are receiving a printed copy of the report this month with their utility billing statements. It is also available to view or download HERE.

April 26-30 is National Work Zone Awareness Week and Decatur Utilities is putting a special emphasis on asking motorists to slow down and use caution when approaching and traveling through work zones. “In 2019 there were 762 fatal crashes and 977 deaths from work zone accidents,” said Joe Holmes, DU Communications and Public Relations Coordinator. “Fatalities included roadside workers, drivers, passengers and pedestrians. Many of those could have been prevented if drivers had simply paid attention to traffic control in the area and reduced their speed.” DU crews often work along right-of-ways to maintain and repair overhead and underground utility lines. In February of 2020, four DU employees were injured when a motorist traveled at high speed into their work area on the Hudson Memorial Bridge. “We value the lives of our employees and customers,” said Holmes, “and want to make sure everyone goes home safe at the end of the day.” Holmes said the same recommendations for reduced speed and heightened awareness apply to any roadside crews – from DU to ALDOT to City of Decatur workers and others.

National Lineman Appreciation Day will be celebrated Sunday, April 18th as proclaimed by the U.S. Senate in a 2013 resolution. More than 115,000 men and women across the country have answered the call to public service by putting their lives “on the line” to keep electricity flowing to our homes and businesses. Many work for municipal systems like Decatur Utilities. These front-line heroes are our friends and neighbors. Regardless of the weather or time of night, they respond in a moment’s notice to restore service. So, if you see a DU line crew out working along the side of the road, give them three quick honks to let them know how much you appreciate them!

Effective Monday, April 12th, Decatur Utilities will open its lobby to over-the-counter payments. DU lobby and drive-thru hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Customer service will continue to be offered on an appointment-only basis or remotely. Customers can schedule individual, in-person customer service appointments by calling 256-552-1400 Opt. 4 or by visiting www.decaturutilities.com and clicking the “Schedule Appointment” button. Customers wishing to start, stop or transfer service remotely can also do so by phone at the same number OR by emailing csr@decaturutilities.com. While declines in local COVID-19 cases has allowed these operational changes, DU encourages customers to continue taking advantage of no-contact, remote service and payment options when possible – especially those in high-risk categories and those not yet vaccinated. Remote/No-Contact Payment Options: • Online at www.decaturutilities.com • SmartHub app (Google Play or App Store) • Phone by calling 256-552-1400 Opt. 3 • Self-Service Kiosks at the Main Office • Automatic Bank Draft • Mail to PO Box 2232, Decatur, AL 35609-2232 • DU drive-thru lanes Remote/No-Contact Customer Service Options: • Via phone at 256-552-1400 Opt 4 • Via Email to csr@decaturutilities.com

Decatur Utilities will resume disconnection of utility accounts for non-payment beginning the week of March 15th. Customers who have accounts in arrears and are subject for disconnection should call DU’s Customer Service Department at 256-552-1400 Opt. 4 PRIOR TO DISCONNECTION to discuss payment options with a Customer Service Representative. Assistance with utility bills is available from Community Action Partnership of North Alabama. Applications are available online at www.capna.org. Assistance may also be available from other community service organizations. The DU lobby remains closed to walk-in traffic at this time. Drive-thru windows are open M-F, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and self-service kiosks are available 24/7. Customers needing to start, stop or transfer service may do so remotely by calling 256-552-1400 Opt. 4 or by appointment. DU will continue to monitor the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and upcoming changes to statewide mandates with regard to the timing of reopening the lobby to walk-in traffic.

Natural gas prices have spiked recently due to the “freeze-off” of wells in the south central U.S. which has reduced overall supply. While this lack of supply has resulted in significant increases for retail customers in Texas and other area of the country, Decatur Utilities natural gas customers will see minimal changes in their bills due to DU’s “hedging” of its natural gas supply. “For many years, DU has had a program in place where it purchases large blocks of natural gas, especially for usage during winter months,” said Gary Borden, Operations Manager. “By making these purchases when prices are lower, we are able to minimize situations like this during peak times and keep rates lower for our customers.” As a result, Borden said DU customers should only see an increase of a few dollars in their total natural gas bills. Had DU not made those future natural gas purchases at lower wholesale prices, the increase in customer bills could have been much more. (Note: Each DU customer’s natural gas bill is made up of two components: A fixed customer access charge and a “volumetric rate” based on how much natural gas is used. The volumetric rate fluctuates each month based on the cost of gas purchased and transportation fees.) With the abundance of natural gas over the past few years, natural gas prices have been at historic lows. “DU’s program has purchased and locked in a large quantity of natural gas for its residential and commercial customer through the winters of 2025-2026 to stabilize rates and keep them low,” Borden said. He and Debra Curtis, DU’s Energy Analyst, are constantly analyzing the natural gas market and looking beyond for the best pricing even further into the future. “This is one of the ways a public-owned utility works for the customer each day. We are not trying to produce a dividend for stockholders, but working for the customer” Borden said. “This hedging program is just one of the ways we strive to make sure our rates are kept as low as possible for everyone.”

This week marks the celebration of Public Power, Public Natural Gas and Customer Service Weeks across America. Being a public utility means DU is owned by the City of Decatur, but operates autonomously with an independent board of directors, management team and financials. What's the difference between public utilities and those owned by investors? The biggest difference is that business and operational decisions are made with customers in mind - not a return on investment for stockholders. Plus, our employees and directors live and work here locally - and give back to the community through volunteering and individual financial support. Tuesday we'll look specifically at Public Power, Wednesday is Public Natural Gas and Thursday will focus on Customer Service. Stay tuned! #PublicPowerWeek #PublicNaturalGasWeek #CustomerServiceWeek Thank you, our customer! - Friday Today we wrap up our celebration of Public Power, Public Natural Gas and Customer Service Weeks. In truth, none of this would be possible with YOU - our customer. We appreciate each of you very much and want you to know that we take our commitment to providing outstanding utility service very seriously. Thank you for being our customer and allowing us to serve you! Here's a look back at past Customer Appreciation Days - before we had to social distance! #CustomerServiceWeek - Thursday A commitment to excellent Customer Service is at the heart of any public utility - including DU! When you hear the words "customer service", you probably think of the employees in the office who take and process payments, or help with establishing, transferring or stopping utility service. These are certainly a vital part of DU's service to our customers - but it doesn't end there. Every employee at DU has an important role in making sure your utility services are delivered in a safe, reliable and cost-effective manner. Some of them you may never see because they work "behind the scenes" in finance, information technology, purchasing, engineering, dispatch or other "internal" areas of operation. Some you see on the side of Decatur's roads and highways repairing power lines, reading meters or working on underground gas, water and wastewater pipes. Others are hard at work in our plants delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater before it's returned to the Tennessee River. Regardless of where they work - or what they do - it's all in an effort to provide you, our customer, with outstanding service! #CustomerServiceWeek #PublicNaturalGas - Wednesday Today we are looking at the benefits of Public Natural Gas. Many of them mirror what we talked about yesterday with electricity - autonomous operation, being owned by those we serve and not stockholders, local decision-making with the best interests of our customers in mind, etc. One of the other great benefits is the way we structure retail rates for natural gas customers. Our energy analysts are constantly staying abreast of market prices to achieve a low cost and levelized rates- both today and well into the future. And with natural gas prices at historic lows, now is the best time ever to look at installing natural gas for heating your home, heating water and cooking.. #PublicPowerWeek - Tuesday So exactly what is "Public Power" and why do we celebrate it? Public power companies are owned by either municipalities like the City of Decatur or members of cooperatives like Joe Wheeler EMC. In the case of DU, we operate autonomously with a separate board of directors appointed by the city council. We are incorporated separately from the city, have separate financials and an independent management and employee team. All decisions - from operational budgets to long-range planning to rate increases - are made locally with the following mission in mind: to provide safe, reliable utility services at the lowest possible rate and meet the needs of our customers and employees. We also stand ready to assist other utilities when catastrophic storms or events spare us but hit them hard. Case in point, electric crews just returned from Andalusia and Daphne where they helped restore power following Hurricane Sally. Of course, those same crews are ready to roll when storms strike our area as well! DU purchases its wholesale electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which is also a public power entity. Another example of the benefits of public power: When TVA offered a 2.5% credit on our non-fuel, wholesale power cost for the next 12 months, DU elected to pass that savings through to all customers. We are proud to be Public Power and honored to serve you, our customers!