Water Service – San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Water Service in San Francisco is provided by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. To transfer service or set up a new account, call Customer Services at (415) 551-3000. This office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Before you call, make sure you have the following information: service address (where you need water or power), your contact information, and your California Driver’s License or California ID. If you’re moving from another San Francisco address, you’ll also need the prior address. If you’re purchasing the property, you’ll need the close of escrow date.
There’s a $63 fee to establish an account, and the Utilities Commission requires a deposit of twice the estimated monthly water and sewer charges (or $50, if the two-month estimate is less). You’ll get the deposit back after one year, as long as you’ve paid your utilities bills on time for that period.
Power & Gas – Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Gas and Electricity for most San Francisco residential addresses are provided by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). You can transfer service under an existing account or set up a new account online here. You’ll need to provide the service address, contact information, and identification (social security number, state Driver’s License, passport, etc.). You can pick a start date within 60 days.
You’ll be charged a deposit amount on your first bill, which can be waived if you enroll in paperless billing and set up recurring payments online. These actions can be completed by visiting your account online.
San Francisco now participates in a Community Choice Aggregation program called CleanPowerSF. This non-profit entity works with PG&E to deliver cleaner energy to customers. PG&E still delivers energy, manage customer billing, and services the infrastructure. With CleanPowerSF, a higher percentage of that energy is generated in California from renewable resources such as solar and wind.
By the end of 2019, all San Francisco neighborhoods will be automatically enrolled in the Green, which provides 40% of energy from renewable sources (compared to the 33% PG&E average). If you do not want to participate, you must opt out here. You can also choose the SuperGreen option, which provides 100% of power from renewable sources for an additional 1.5 cents per kilowatt hour. You can upgrade to this option online here.
Garbage, Recycling, and Compost – Recology
Garbage, recycling, and compost services in San Francisco are provided Recology Sunset Scavenger and Recology Golden Gate. You can find out which provider serves your address and create a new account by calling (415) 330-1300.
Once you’ve set up an account, you can create an online account at Recology Sunset Scavenger or Recology Golden Gate.
Unless you’re moving into a newly-constructed dwelling, there are likely already bins at your address. Contact Recology using this online form or by calling (415) 330-1300 to change the size of any of your bins or to get a free kitchen compost pail.
Setting up your utilities is one of the tasks you’ll need to complete before moving into your new home. While you’re making your way down the relocation checklist, have you found a San Francisco residential moving company yet? If you’re looking for affordable rates and expedient service, find a mover using the Cheap Movers San Francisco online portal.