To set up utilities for a home in San Antonio, you’ll usually open accounts with CPS Energy for electricity and natural gas and with SAWS for water and sewer, then set the start date for your closing day. City of San Antonio trash and recycling is billed on your CPS Energy bill. Expect a possible deposit: as of Nov 2026, SAWS lists $100 for residential water and sewer, and CPS Energy’s deposit is based on the home’s billing history. Inside CPS Energy’s service area you don’t shop for an electricity provider.
Brock Bremmer | U.S. Air Force Reserves Veteran | Real Estate Agent | eXp Realty | San Antonio Metro Area
Home Buyer & New Construction Specialist
Also see: Cost of Living in San Antonio | Relocating to San Antonio | HOA Resale Certificates
Who Provides Utilities in San Antonio?
Inside the city, most homes use the same providers. Addresses outside city limits, including some new communities on the edges of Bexar County, can have a different water or electric provider, so confirm yours with your agent, builder, or title company before you call anyone.
| Service | Usual provider in San Antonio | How it’s billed |
| Electricity and natural gas | CPS Energy (city-owned) | CPS Energy bill |
| Water and sewer | San Antonio Water System (SAWS) | SAWS bill |
| Trash, recycling, and organics | City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management | Added to your CPS Energy bill |
| Internet | Your choice of private providers, unless your HOA includes a service | Provider or HOA |
Can You Choose Your Electricity Provider in San Antonio?
Not inside CPS Energy’s service area. Much of Texas has retail electric choice, but CPS Energy explains that state law let city-owned utilities and co-ops stay out of the competitive retail market unless they chose to opt in. CPS Energy is the largest municipally owned utility in Texas, so in its territory you start service with CPS Energy rather than picking a retail plan.
How Do You Start CPS Energy Service?
- Existing customers: Transfer service online through your CPS Energy account.
- New customers: Request service online or by phone at 210-353-2222. CPS Energy accepts one form of ID, such as a state driver’s license, a state ID card, a Social Security number, or a federal tax ID number.
- Letter of reference: CPS Energy’s start-service page asks applicants who aren’t current CPS Energy customers to request a letter of reference.
- Set the date: Choose your closing or move-in day.
If a deposit is required, CPS Energy’s terms say a residential deposit is the greater of two times the home’s actual or estimated monthly bill over the previous 12 months, or the current average monthly bill for that class of service. CPS Energy can waive deposits for certain customers with documentation and can include a deposit in a payment plan. Deposits earn interest, and a residential deposit can be refunded after 12 months if your payment record meets CPS Energy’s conditions.
How Do You Start Water Service With SAWS?
SAWS lets you start service online or by phone at 210-704-7297. You’ll need the property address, a valid Texas driver’s license or ID, a contact phone number, a mailing address, and your date of birth. SAWS’s 2026 Special Services Fees list these deposits:
| Residential service | 2026 deposit |
| Water and sewer | $100 |
| Water only | $60 |
| Sewer only | $40 |
Plan ahead, because SAWS lists a $35 fee for same-day turn-on.
How Does Trash Pickup Work in San Antonio?
The City of San Antonio bills curbside collection through CPS Energy, so once your CPS Energy account is set up, call 311 or 210-207-6000 for service information. New customers should have a brown trash cart, a blue recycling cart, and a green organics cart. The monthly fee depends on the size of the brown cart, and there’s no extra fee for the blue and green carts.
| Brown cart size | Total monthly city services (as listed by the city) |
| Small (48 gal.) | $21.01 |
| Medium (64 gal.) | $26.51 |
| Large (96 gal.) | $37.00 |
Those totals include the solid waste fee, a $3.25 environmental fee, and a $2.25 parks fee. Downsizing your cart is free. If you’re buying in an HOA community, the HOA resale certificate will show whether the association provides any services of its own.
How Do Utilities Work in New Braunfels and Boerne?
New Braunfels: New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) provides electric, water, and wastewater in its service area, and NBU has an interactive map to check an address. Start requests must be submitted at least one business day before your preferred date. You’ll need a completed application, a valid ID, and a deposit unless you qualify for an alternative. NBU runs a soft credit check that may waive the deposit. Its residential requirements form also lists a letter of credit from your previous utility, an NBU-customer guarantor, or a non-refundable $250 Quick Connect fee instead of a deposit. With a cash deposit, half is due at application and the rest is billed on the first bill, along with a $45 administrative fee. NBU: 830-629-8400. My New Braunfels city guide covers the area.
Boerne: The City of Boerne runs a city-owned utility that provides water, wastewater, reclaimed water, electric, and natural gas in its service territory. Trash and recycling from WM is included in the monthly bill. To start service, submit the Residential Service Contract with a valid U.S. government-issued ID. Applications received by noon can usually be turned on the same day, except gas, which needs an appointment with an adult present. A deposit is required unless you provide a valid credit reference letter showing 12 months of history within the last 24 months with no more than one late payment. Call Boerne Utilities at 830-249-9511. Homes outside Boerne’s service territory may have different providers. See my Boerne city guide for more.
What’s Different When You Buy a New Build?
On a new build, the builder typically keeps utilities in its own name during construction. Ask the builder’s closing coordinator which providers serve the lot and when to start your accounts, so service transfers on closing day. Some master-planned communities bill internet through the HOA, so check before you sign up for a separate plan. My video on what actually happens on closing day when you buy new construction walks through the handoff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead should you set up utilities before closing?
Start once you have a firm closing date. NBU requires at least one business day’s notice, SAWS charges a fee for same-day turn-on, and setting the CPS Energy start date early avoids a gap in service. Use your closing or move-in date as the start date.
Is trash service a separate bill in San Antonio?
No. City of San Antonio curbside collection is billed through your CPS Energy bill, with the fee based on the size of your brown trash cart. Blue recycling and green organics carts have no extra collection fee.
Ready to Buy in San Antonio?
Brock Bremmer with eXp Realty is a U.S. Air Force Reserves veteran with 120+ homes sold across the San Antonio metro. He helps buyers through every step from contract to move-in, including the closing-day checklist, in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and Boerne.
- 📞 Call or text: 210-501-5088
- 📧 Email: [email protected]
- 📅 Schedule a free consultation
Also see: Who Pays for Title Insurance in Texas | Getting Your Earnest Money Back | Property Taxes in San Antonio
Sources: CPS Energy, Start Service / Move In; CPS Energy and the Texas Electric Market (March 2021); CPS Energy, Customer Terms and Conditions (security deposits); SAWS, start or stop service; SAWS, 2026 Special Services Fees; City of San Antonio, Solid Waste billing and accounts; City of San Antonio, Solid Waste rates and fees; New Braunfels Utilities, start, stop, and transfer service; NBU, residential service requirements; City of Boerne, Customer Care and Billing; City of Boerne, Residential Services.