Electric and Gas
Electric and natural gas power are provided by City Public Service (CPS), a municipal utility operating under a board of trustees and owned by the City of San Antonio. CPS offers the lowest-cost electrical service in the state; cost of service is also lower than most other locations around the country. All of Bexar County and small parts of several surrounding counties obtain electric or gas service via CPS. Two forms of identification are required upon application for service. The utility offers a variety of services, including a Senior Citizens Billing Program, a Budget Payment Plan, Telecommunications Services for the Deaf and an All-Nite Security Light Program, as well as an array of energy-management services from the CPS Energy Task Force.

Existing residence initial fee is based on 1.5 months usage for the past 12 months. For new residences, the initial fee is 9 cents per square foot. To request service or information, call (800) 773-3077; if local, call (210) 353-2222 or go to www.citypublicservice.com.

Newspaper
San Antonio Express-News. To subscribe, call (210) 250-2000.

Cable Television/Internet
Time-Warner Cable. Call (210) 224-0500. First month’s installment and current installation fee (which can vary) are due immediately.

Grande Communications. Call (210) 320-4600 or go to www.grandecom.com.

Garbage/Recycling
For garbage collection, recycling, dead animal collection, brush pickup or customer service, call 311. There is no deposit required. Brush pickup is done twice yearly.

Telephone
Southwestern Bell. For new service or changes to existing service, call (800) 464-7928. For assistance in Spanish, call (800) 559-0050.

Grande Communications. For new service or changes to existing service, call (210) 320-4880. Not available in all areas.

Sewer
San Antonio also operates a regional sewer system that serves Bexar County. Wastewater facilities perform advanced secondary treatment using a biologically activated sludge process. Sewer charges are based on your water usage from November through March and are included in your water bill.

Water
The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and the Bexar Metropolitan Water System (BexarMet) are the two largest water purveyors in the San Antonio/Bexar County area. The primary supply of potable water is obtained directly, without the need of further treatment, from an extensive limestone aquifer. The quality of the Edwards Aquifer surpasses all federal drinking water standards and requires only gas-chlorine injection before entering the distribution system. SAWS and BexarMet started adding fluoride to local water systems in August 2002.

In San Antonio, water is a precious resource that should be used with careful thought. Residential water use accounts for 65 percent of San Antonio’s water consumption. At least 35 percent of residential use is outdoor watering. SAWS offers various incentives and rebates for water conservation, including the WaterSaver Landscape rebate. This program is open to homeowners who are SAWS customers. SAWS will give you 10 cents per square foot to plan and install a WaterSaver Landscape, with a minimum rebate of $100 for 1,000 square feet and a maximum rebate of $500 for 5,000 square feet. If over 50 percent of your yard is planted in turf, you will receive half credit.

To contact the San Antonio Water System, call (210) 704-7297, or go to www.saws.org. Fee is $55 per house, $110 per duplex. The deposit is waived with letter of credit from previous water or electric company.
For BexarMet service, call (210) 354- 6500, or go to www.bexarmet.org.