How Much to Budget for Utilities in Puyallup

Utilities are the part of the housing budget that buyers guess at, and the guess is usually low. Part of the problem is that Puyallup does not have one set of providers. Who sends your bills depends on where the house sits.

I will explain who provides what, how each bill is calculated, what makes a bill high or low, and how to get an accurate number for any home. I am not going to quote rates, because they change every year. The structure does not.

The six lines in your utility budget

Check which column a home is in before you budget. My post on Puyallup mailing addresses versus city limits explains how.

Electricity

Puget Sound Energy provides electricity across most of the Puyallup area. Your bill depends on how much you use, and use depends mostly on how the home is heated.

What drives an electric bill

• Electric heat. Baseboard heaters, wall heaters, and electric furnaces use a lot of power in winter.
• Heat pumps. Far more efficient than resistance heat, and they provide cooling.
• Water heating. An electric tank is one of the larger loads in a home.
• Air conditioning. A few weeks a year for most households.
• Household size and habits. Laundry, cooking, electronics.
• Electric vehicles. A noticeable addition.

Winter bills are the high ones in an all-electric home. A home heated with gas will have a lower electric bill and a gas bill instead.

Natural gas

Many homes on South Hill and in the city have natural gas for the furnace, water heater, range, or fireplace. Not every street has a gas line, especially in older and rural areas.

Gas bills peak in winter and drop to very little in summer. If a home has a gas furnace and a gas water heater, expect the gas bill to carry most of your heating cost.

Puget Sound Energy offers budget billing that averages your payments over the year, which smooths out the winter peak.

Water

City of Puyallup customers are billed by the city's utility division. The city notes that its water service area does not line up exactly with the city limits. It serves some properties outside the city, and some city residents are served by other providers. The city publishes water service maps.

Other customers are served by one of several water companies in the area, each with its own rates and billing schedule. Some bill monthly and some every other month.

Private wells have no water bill. You pay for the electricity to run the pump and for maintenance and testing.

Water bills typically have a fixed base charge plus a charge for the amount used. Summer irrigation is what makes them jump. A lawn kept green through a dry August can double a summer bill.

Sewer

This is the bill that surprises newcomers, so I will be specific about how the city calculates it.

According to the City of Puyallup's utility billing page, residential sewer charges are based on your actual water use during the cooler months. Your average winter consumption is then used to set the sewer charge on summer bills.

The logic is fair. Water used in winter mostly goes down the drain. Water used in summer mostly goes on the lawn, so the city does not charge sewer rates on it.

What that means for you:

• Fix leaks and running toilets before winter. They raise your sewer bill for months.
• A large household uses more water and pays more for sewer.
• Your summer sewer bill reflects your winter habits.

Homes served by a water company other than the city can still be on city sewer. In that case the city gets the meter reading from the water provider.

Septic systems

If the home is on septic, there is no monthly sewer bill. The costs come in a different shape.

• Inspections on the schedule set by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department
• Pumping every few years
• Repairs to pumps, filters, or lids over time
• Replacement eventually, which is a major expense

Averaged over many years, a healthy septic system often costs less than a sewer bill. The risk is the large, unpredictable repair. Set money aside for it. My post on septic pumping in Puyallup covers schedules and costs.

Stormwater

Rain has to go somewhere, and managing it costs money.

Inside the city, a stormwater charge appears on your utility bill. In unincorporated Pierce County, a surface water management fee appears on your property tax statement instead. Either way you pay it. It is easy to miss in the county because it is not a monthly bill.

Garbage and recycling

Inside the city, all occupied residences are required to receive and pay for solid waste collection. The city contracts with a hauler, and the city's garbage service page has the current provider and contact details. The city also holds spring and fall cleanup weeks, when residents can put out extra garbage, yard waste, and one large appliance at no additional charge, and a tree recycling day in January.

Outside the city, you sign up with a hauler that serves your address. Some rural residents self-haul to a transfer station.

Your bill depends on can size and on whether you add yard waste service. Choosing a smaller can is the easiest way to lower it.

Internet and phones

Wired broadband is widely available in the built-up areas, usually with more than one provider. On rural edges, options can narrow.

Check availability at the exact address before you commit, especially if you work from home. Ask the seller what they use and what speed they get.

What makes one home's bills higher than another's

Two homes of the same size can have very different utility costs. Here is why.

When I walk a home with a buyer, the heating system is the first thing I check for this reason.

How to get real numbers

Do not rely on averages from the internet. They are not about your house.

1. Ask the seller for twelve months of bills for every utility. Most are happy to provide them. This is the single best source.
2. Look at winter and summer separately. The annual average hides the peaks.
3. Adjust for your household. A retired couple's bills will not match a family of six.
4. Call the water provider for the rate schedule if the seller's bills are not available.
5. Ask about budget billing with Puget Sound Energy.
6. For new construction, ask the builder for typical bills on a completed home of the same plan.

If you are renting, ask the landlord which utilities are included and get an estimate for the rest.

A budgeting worksheet

Fill this in for each home you are seriously considering.

Divide the annual total by 12 and add it to your housing payment. That is the true monthly cost of living in the house.

Seasonal pattern

Expect this shape over a year.

• November through March: the highest energy bills. Heating runs daily.
• April through June: bills ease.
• July through September: energy is low unless you run air conditioning. Water peaks if you irrigate.
• October: heating starts again.

If you move in during summer, your first few bills will understate what winter will cost. Plan for it.

Ways to lower the bills

• Seal and insulate. Attic insulation and air sealing are inexpensive and effective.
• Service the heating system every year.
• Switch to a heat pump when the old system is due. It heats and cools.
• Check for rebates. Puget Sound Energy lists heating rebates and other efficiency incentives, with larger amounts for income-qualified customers.
• Fix leaks. A running toilet is the most common cause of a high water and sewer bill.
• Water less. Let the lawn go dormant in August. It comes back with the fall rain.
• Right-size the garbage can.
• Ask about assistance. The city lists utility assistance organizations for customers who qualify, and Puget Sound Energy has its own bill assistance programs.

Outages and backup power

Windstorms in fall and winter knock out power somewhere in the area most years. Outages are usually short. Occasionally they last a day or more, particularly on wooded streets and at the rural edges where lines run through trees.

A few things to think about when you compare homes:

• Heat source. A gas fireplace or wood stove keeps a room warm when the power is out. An all-electric home goes cold.
• Wells and septic pumps stop without power. If the home has either, ask about a generator connection.
• Generators. Portable units are common. A transfer switch installed by an electrician makes one safe to use.
• Underground lines. Newer subdivisions often have them, which reduces outages on the street itself.

Setting up service when you move

A short checklist for closing week.

1. Electricity and gas: start service with Puget Sound Energy in your name as of closing.
2. Water and sewer: contact the city's utility billing office or the water company. The escrow company usually arranges a final reading for the seller.
3. Garbage: inside the city, contact the contracted hauler. Outside, pick a provider.
4. Internet: schedule installation ahead of time. Appointments can book out.
5. Septic: if applicable, note the last pumping date and set a reminder.

Ask your escrow officer which utilities they handle at closing. In Washington, unpaid utility charges can attach to the property, so escrow typically confirms that the seller's final bills are paid.

Utilities for renters

If you are renting first, ask before you sign:

• Which utilities are in the rent?
• Are water, sewer, and garbage billed back to tenants, and how?
• Is heat electric or gas?
• What did the last tenant's winter bills look like?

In apartments, water, sewer, and garbage are often billed through the landlord. In a rented house, you usually set up everything yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Who provides utilities in Puyallup?

Puget Sound Energy provides electricity and natural gas in most of the area. The City of Puyallup provides water, sewer, and stormwater service to most city customers. Garbage is handled by the city's contracted hauler inside city limits. Providers differ in unincorporated areas.

How is the sewer bill calculated in Puyallup?

For city residential customers, the sewer charge is based on water use during the cooler months, and that winter average sets the charge for summer bills.

Is garbage service required in Puyallup?

Yes, inside the city limits. All occupied residences must receive and pay for solid waste collection.

How can I estimate utility costs before buying a home?

Ask the seller for the last twelve months of bills for electricity, gas, water, sewer, and garbage. Review winter and summer separately, then adjust for your household size.

Are utilities cheaper on septic than on sewer?

There is no monthly sewer bill with a septic system, but you pay for inspections, pumping, and eventual repairs. Over time the costs can be similar, with septic being less predictable.

Related reading

• Puyallup Mailing Address vs. City Limits: Why It Matters
• Cost of Living in Puyallup: What It Takes to Live Comfortably
• Hidden Costs of Buying a Home in Puyallup
• How Much Are Property Taxes in Puyallup?

Equal Housing Opportunity. Austin Robertson, License # 21036843, Austin Robertson and Allena Robertson Real Estate Brokers, regulated by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL). This article is general information only. It is not legal, tax, insurance, lending, or construction advice, and it is not an appraisal of any property. Robertson & Co. supports fair housing and does not describe or recommend neighborhoods based on who lives there. Costs, rates, and rules change. Confirm the details with the sources linked above before you act.