Outage Map & Power Restoration

What should I do when my power goes out?

Call 573.875.2555. Columbia Water & Light encourages you to call our 24-hour emergency number during an outage so we can quickly locate where the problem is occurring and send crews out right away. Any detailed information you can supply to the utility about the outage is very beneficial in the trouble shooting process. You can see if the outage has been reported by viewing our outage map.

Why is it important for my phone number to be on file?

Columbia Water & Light uses an automatic phone answering system to efficiently handle power outage reports. If your correct phone number is on file with the Utility Customer Service office, your phone call can be handled more efficiently. Having the correct contact information also allows us to make any follow-up calls to you about electric service problems.

Please fill out the Account Update online form or phone 573.874.7380 if your phone number has changed since you signed up for your utility service. You can have more than one phone number associated with your account.

How long will it take to restore my power?

Columbia Water & Light sends crews out as soon as possible to fix electric system problems. The time of the repair depends on the problem. Many times, it is as easy as replacing a fuse.  Other times, an entire line must be replaced. Crews often have to search for the cause of an outage and will continue working on a problem until it is resolved. Please do not disturb the crews while they are working so they can focus on safely solving the problem.

Why do my lights blink from time to time?

Brief interruptions in your electric service can sometimes be caused by tree branches hitting overhead power lines. Please fill out our tree trimming form, or call 573.874.6205 to report a tree you think might be causing problems.

Power interruptions can also be caused by problems with the electric distribution system. These problems are usually caught by Columbia Water & Light’s constant monitoring systems and repaired as soon as possible.

Faulty or overloaded wiring inside your home may also cause ‘blinks’ in your lights. Please contact an electrician to help fix the problem.

What should I do if I have medical equipment that requires electricity?

Columbia Water & Light makes every effort to deliver reliable electricity to our customers. Sometimes there are situations beyond our control that cause outages. Usually outages only last a short amount of time but you should be prepared with back-up plans.

Customers with medical equipment are spread all over the city so it is impossible for us to promise all these customers are restored first. Instead, medical centers are put at the top of the restoration priority list. Familiarize yourself with how long your battery back-up system will last. Then speak to your health care provider about the availability of electric power at local clinics and hospitals in case the outage is lengthy.