The City of Vidalia owns and operates four utilities; Electric, Gas, Water and sewer.  All Utility Department employees are highly trained and very dependable.  The department consists of 31 full time employees.​

In case of a power outage, a suspected gas leak, or a sewer or water problem, please call our office for assistance.  Our normal operating hours are 7:00-5:00 Monday—Thursday, and 7:00—4:00 on Friday.  After hours, you may call the same number (318-336-6257) until 10:00 p.m. to report problems or outages.  Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. you may call the Vidalia Police Department for assistance at 318-336-5254.  Our crews only respond to emergency calls after 5:00 p.m. daily and on weekends.  

The Electric Department is responsible for the distribution of power purchased from LEPA.  We manage approximately 2,200 services throughout our town.  Our duties include setting poles, running services to businesses and homes, setting transformers, line construction – both above ground and under ground, metering, sub-station maintenance, clearing right of ways, and cutting trees and disposing of them.  Other duties include installing and maintaining several hundred street lights, installing and and taking down Christmas lights (Tree, pole mounts, River Front, etc.) and setting up the stage for various events.  Our crew consists of a Supervisor, five lineman, three lineman helpers and an electrician.  The Electric Department also has a Carpenter who is responsible for various carpentry work and maintenance of all City Buildings.  

All deposits and payments on accounts are handled at City Hall.  However, if you would like a paylight installed at your residence or business, please call our office and we will make an appointment for you to have the light installed.  

The Gas Department is responsible for the distribution of gas within the Town of Vidalia.  The gas is bought from Mid-Louisiana Gas Pipeline at two purchase points, Whitehall Plantation and Taconey.  The responsibilities of the gas crew include maintaining & operating seven regulator stations, three odorizers, 41 miles of main and 1,950 services.  We make taps, repair leaks, maintain right-of-ways, change charts, check customer leaks, light pilots, change meters, and install anodes.  We have a valve maintenance program, a Cathodic Protection program, odorization program and a public awareness program.  Our gas crew consists of one Supervisor and two maintenance workers, that are trained according to the Federal DOT Operator Qualification Program.

The Water Department is responsible for our towns drinking water.  Our drinking water comes from three wells located on the River Front.  We treat the water using a variety of chemicals and equipment.  Chemicals include chlorine, phosphate, ferric, fluoride, polymer and rock salt.  Equipment includes chlorinators, softeners, a clarifier, filter beds, metering pumps, transfer pumps, mixing apparatus and testing equipment.  Our water comes out of the wells full of iron, manganese, and other dissolved metals, which make the water hard.  We use the chemicals and equipment to remove most of these metals to make the water soft and safe to drink.  Once the water leaves the treatment plant, it goes into the distribution system.  We have about 66 miles of water mains, 2,200 services, 320 fire hydrants, 590 valves and two elevated water tanks, a 500,000 gallon and a 250,000 gallon.  The water distribution crew's duties include changing out meters, repairing leaks, repairing and installing fire hydrants, installing new mains and services and valve maintenance, to name a few.  We have four operators to staff the Water Treatment Plant and a Supervisor & two maintenance workers for the distribution system.

The Sewer Department is responsible for the maintenance of sewer collection and sewer treatment.  The sewer collection system has 25 miles of main, 2,200 services and twenty-four lift stations,  The lift stations deliver the sewer to a 44 acre three cell aerated lagoon system, located on Logan Sewell Drive, for treatment.  We also have a 10 acre overflow lagoon to handle excess sewer inflow from heavy rains.  The sewer is treated with aeration from eleven aerators, PH is adjusted with sulfuric acid and it is disinfected with chlorine before being pumped to the Mississippi River.

The sewer crew's duties include daily checks of all pumping stations and treatment facilities.  They also install and rebuild pumps, unstop sewer mains, repair leaks, install services and keep up with sampling.  The sewer crew consists of a Supervisor that they share with water distribution and two maintenance workers.  Water & Sewer employees are trained and certified by Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, per EPA regulations.

Keith Graves
Superintendent of Electricity 

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Cornell Lewis 

Superintendent of Water and Sewage

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Eddie Beach 

Superintendent of Natural Gas

City of Vidalia Utility Department

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