Utilities Inc. Regional Vice-President Paul Burris told customers about several changes his company has undertaken in the Pahrump area in 2008 and plans for 2009 during two sessions at the Mountain Falls Golf Club Wednesday.

Burris said Utilities Inc. of Central Nevada covers 43 square miles, has over 4,800 water connections, 66 miles of sewer pipelines, 98 miles of water mains and 34 well sites, of which 12 are actively in use.

The company is trying to "go green" he said, doing more work paperless and switching vehicles to hybrids.

The company has specialized equipment, like vac-tor trucks that clean out sewer lines, a machine that exercises turning valves so they work when needed and a video machine to look into sewer lines.

Burris listed the following improvements:.

* A new rule allows customers paying to extend water and sewer lines to their property up to 15 years, instead of five, to recoup money from neighbors tying into the system;

* Utilities Inc. will agree to pay for fire hydrants and manholes for residential customers;

* An inquiry process was instituted through which new residents can request engineering estimates on the costs of extending service and accept or reject it;

* Work is only being awarded to four qualified contractors;

* After resolving odor complaints on sewer treatment plant No. 3 at Willow Creek Golf Course, Utilities Inc. will attempt to do something about odor complaints at lift stations;

* The company will build a water storage tank;

* Sewer mains around the current treatment plant will be upsized;

* Plans will be prepared so when growth takes off again, the permits will be in place and the designs so infrastructure projects will be ready to build.

That will avoid a situation such as occurred in 2005, when developers of subdivisions like Cottage Grove were unable to sell homes because Utilities Inc. hadn't yet upgraded its sewer capacity.