San Jose is an exciting place to live. It’s the capital of Silicon Valley, which is the location of many high-tech companies. San Jose is also one of the world’s leading centers for medical treatment and research. Procedures such as heart transplants, gene splicing, and transportable baby incubators were developed there. If you’re planning to move to San Jose, your excitement might be tempered by a long to-do list. An important part of that list is remembering to set up your San Jose utilities ahead of time. All the planning in the world won’t do you much good if you move into your new home and have no water or electricity for a week or two.
Before your move, take a couple of minutes to get all of your San Jose utility services scheduled so they’ll be turned on the day you arrive. Transferring utilities is a quick and easy process, and it will save you a lot of anxiety when you do it in advance.
This San Jose utilities guide provides you with all the information you’ll need in one place to get your power, water, and other services connected and started the day you arrive. Moving is stressful enough. Give yourself a little relief by having all your San Jose public utilities ready to go when you move in.
San Jose Electric Utilities | Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been serving California residents since 1905 and is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, the company is a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation. Pacific Gas and Electric Company serves approximately 16 million people in a 70,000-square-mile service area of northern and central California. Reach out to Pacific Gas and Electric Company and set up your electric service when preparing for your move to San Jose. The average San Jose electric bill is $145.68. Rate plans vary with PG&E. You can choose a time of use plan, a tiered rate plan, or an electric vehicle rate plan. You can review all the options here.
How to contact PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 111 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95113, (800) 743-5000
How to Set Up Your Electricity in San Jose
You can easily begin your service with PG&E by completing the online form on their website. You’ll need your Social Security Number or alternate form of identification, your new service address in San Jose, and your new service start date. The start date can be any date within the next 60 days. You can also call them at (800) 743-5000 for information on starting your new service.
Paying Your San Jose Power Bill
PG&E offers several convenient options to pay your electric bill. Set up automatic or recurring payments online using a credit card, debit card, or bank account as a registered user. You can make a one-time payment without registering. You also have the option to pay by phone at 1-877-704-8470. Have your 11-digit account number ready when you call. When paying by mail or in person, make your check payable to PG&E. Here is the address: PG&E, P.O. Box 997300, Sacramento, CA 95899-7300
San Jose Gas Utilities | Pacific Gas and Electric Company
The PG&E natural gas system spans central and northern California, stretching from Eureka in the North to Bakersfield in the South and from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Sierra Nevada in the east. PG&E delivers safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas to more than 70,000 customers over 42,000 square miles of their service area. The average cost of gas in San Jose is $175. Gas rate plans can be viewed here. They are calculated based on where you’re located, how much you use, and whether it’s summer, peak winter, or off-peak winter.
How to contact PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 111 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95113, (800) 743-5000
How to Set Up Your Gas
The process to set up your gas service in San Jose is the same as setting up your electric service. Complete the online form on the PG&E website or call (800) 743-5000.
Paying Your San Jose Gas Bill
Your gas and electric bills are combined at PG&E, so your payment options for gas service are the same as they are for your electricity service.
San Jose Water Utilities | San Jose Municipal Water System
San Jose is serviced by three water retailers. You can look up which one will be your new water retailer on the San Jose Municipal Water System website by entering your new San Jose address.
Muni Water is the fourth largest water retailer in Santa Clara County, servicing over 100,000 people. Muni Water offers some of the lowest water rates in the San Francisco Bay Area and supplies its customers with safe and reliable water.
San Jose Water was founded in 1866 and is one of the largest and most technically sophisticated urban water systems in the United States. Serving over 1 million people in the San Jose area, they provide high-quality water and exceptional customer service.
Great Oaks Water Company has been providing public water utility service to the City of San Jose since the 1960s and currently provides high-quality water, great customer service, and low rates to over 20,000 customers
The average water bill in San Jose is $92.54 per month. Rates are calculated by a base charge and how many gallons of water you use. Each company will vary slightly on how much they charge.
How to Set Up Your Water in San Jose
Options available to set up new service depends on your new retailer. Below are the ways you can start service with your retailer.
San Jose Municipal Water System:
- Phone: (408) 535-3500
- In Person: 200 E. Santa Clara St., 1st Floor Tower, San Jose, CA 95113.
San Jose Water Company:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 1-408-279-7900
- Fax:1-408-279-7917
- In Person: 110 West Taylor Street, San Jose, CA 95110
Great Oaks Water Company:
- Phone: (408) 879-8246
Paying Your San Jose Water Bill
Here are the options to pay your bill depending on your new retailer:
San Jose Municipal Water System:
- Online – sign up for automatic or recurring payments using E-Bill Express. You will need your customer number and your account number from your bill statement to pay online.
- Phone – call (866) 551-5253 to use the automated service, which is available 24/7. To speak to a live representative, call (408) 535-3500 Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (excluding holidays).
- Mail – Send check and payment stub in the return envelope provided to: City of San José, P.O. Box 398242, San Francisco, CA 94139-8242
- In Person – you can pay by cash, check, money order, credit card, or debit card between the hours of 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) at: San José City Hall, Customer Contact Center, 200 East Santa Clara Street, 1st Floor
- Drop Box – you can pay by check and payment stub in a sealed envelope 24 hours a day at the drop box located at: San José City Hall, Customer Contact Center, 200 East Santa Clara Street, 1st Floor, 6th and Santa Clara Street Entrance
San Jose Water Company:
- Online – After registering online, you can pay your bill using a credit card, debit card, or bank account
- Phone – call (855) 771-7900 24/7 and pay using your bank checking or savings account. Have your 11-digit account number, bank account routing number, and bank account number ready
- In Person – 110 West Taylor Street, San Jose, CA 95110. Office hours: 8:00 AMto 5:30 PM Monday-Friday
- Mail – Mail payments to: San Jose Water, P.O. Box 7045, Pasadena, CA 91109-7045
Great Oaks Water Company:
- Online – after you create an account, log in to your account and pay online.
- Mail: send check to: PO Box 23490, San Jose, Ca 95153.
- Phone: The automated system phone number is 408-227-9540
- In Person: 20 Grant Oaks Blvd, Suite 120, San Jose, CA 95119
San Jose Recycling and Garbage Utilities
Your new recycling and garbage services provider will depend on your new street address. California Waste Solutions is the recycling provider for downtown, north, east, and south San Jose, and Garden City Sanitation provides garbage pickup for these areas. Green Team of San Jose services west San Jose, apartments, and condos for both recycling and garbage pickup. You can find information on the City of San Jose website on what to recycle, disposing of household hazardous waste, electronics, and more. Rates for garbage and recycling vary depending on the size of your household. You can view them here.
How to Set Up Your Recycling and Garbage Pickup in San Jose
- To start recycling services in downtown, north, east, and south San Jose, contact California Waste Solutions at (408) 213-7800.
- To start garbage pickup services in downtown, north, east, and south San Jose, contact Garden City Sanitation at (408) 988-4500.
- To start recycling and garbage pickup services in west San Jose and for apartments and condos, call the GreenTeam of San Jose at (408) 282-4400.
San Jose Internet Service Providers | Various
When relocating to San Jose, you have several reliable internet providers to choose from. You can shop around for the best provider. The rates will vary depending on your internet speed, where you’re located, and who you go with. However, the average starting price for internet in San Jose ranges from $30 to $40 a month. Some of the top internet providers in San Jose are listed below along with their contact details.
Phone: (800) 934-6489
- AT&T
Address: 1705 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95122
Phone: (408) 729-8400 - Earthlink
Address: 240 Jackson St, San Jose, CA 95112
Phone: 800-217-6231 - Frontier
Address: 812 Pollard Rd, Los Gatos, CA 95032
Phone: (408) 785-7076
Get Your San Jose Utilities Scheduled for Activation
Your move to San Jose will be less stressful when you use this guide to set up your utilities before you arrive. It only takes a few minutes to contact the San Jose utility companies in advance! Getting all of these in place takes a little bit of effort, but it will give you peace of mind that everything will be ready when you arrive at your new San Jose apartment or home. Need help with your upcoming relocation? Call the award winning San Jose movers at AMS Relocation at 650-284-2931 for your free moving estimate!
