Utilities

So you've finally found a place to live. Congratulations! Take a deep breath and go out to celebrate. When you're finished celebrating, you can start attending to details such as utilities, driver's licenses, and a whole range of other items that need to be taken care of, especially if you are moving from outside Virginia.

• Electricity
• Gas and Water
• Local Telephone Service
• Trash and Recycling
• Cable
• Internet Service

Electricity

Virginia Power Company
www.dom.com
888-667-3000
Phone Center Hours: M-F 7 am - 7 pm, Sat 9 am - 1 pm

Once you have your new address and know when you are moving in, call Virginia Power to apply for service. They generally request at least a 24-hour notice, and the connection date must be Monday through Friday. Keep in mind that they may run a little behind schedule when students start to arrive in town. If you call, they may ask whether you want to set up or transfer phone or cable service and newspaper service, which can save time, but some students have reported getting more favorable rates when dealing with the other companies directly. Utility accounts may also be set up online.

Deposit: You may be requested to pay a $90 or $180 deposit, depending on the type of heating and/or air conditioning at your address. Customers who have had previous good credit with Virginia Power or another electric company may not need to pay the deposit. When calling to set up an account, Virginia Power will run a credit check through Equifax (with your permission only) to determine if a deposit is needed. Deposits earn 4.7 percent simple interest and are refundable after 12 months of good credit. A $15 nonrefundable connection fee is also charged to all customers. If you move before 12 months are up, your deposit is applied to your final bill and any remainder is refunded.

Gas and Water

City of Charlottesville
www.charlottesville.org
City Hall, Utility Billing, Corner of 7th and E. Main St.
Gas and water service: 970-3211

A municipal gas and water system services most of Charlottesville and the surrounding area. Requests for service can be made over the phone or through the Internet. Accounts can also be set up online.

Gas Service: The city usually provides gas service on the same day, if the request is made before noon. However, to guarantee a connection, requests should be made one day in advance. Deposit: The refundable deposits can be waived with a letter of credit. The deposit required for first-time customers using gas to heat their homes is $50. If gas is used only for cooking or for hot water heaters, the deposit is only $20. All customers must pay a $30 connection fee.
Water Service: A 24-hour notice is also requested. Even if the $10 deposit is waived with your letter of credit, all customers must pay a $30 connection charge.

Albemarle County Service Authority
www.acsanet.com
977-4511
168 Spotnap Rd. (off South Pantops Dr.)
Hours: M-F 8 am - 5 pm

The county provides water only. A $6 connection fee is charged. Accounts can be set up by e-mail at custserv@acasnet.com. (Provide name, address, and date to be connected/disconnected). Be sure to coordinate your billing changeover date with the previous owner or your landlord; it is usually not possible to resume service on the same day once it has been cut off.

Local Telephone Service

Embarq
www.embarq.com
1-888-723-8010

Embarq provides local telephone service as well as high-speed DSL and dial-up connections for Charlottesville and most surrounding counties. Requests for service can be made by phone or online. Allow one or two days for a new connection.

Deposit: A refundable deposit of approximately $100 (based on estimated usage) plus a $50 advance payment are required. With a letter of credit from a past company or a good credit record, your security deposit may be waived.

Trash and Recycling

City of Charlottesville
970-3830

City residents must pay for city trash pick-up, which includes curbside recycling pick-up, by affixing stickers (like using a stamp) on trash bags. You may purchase individual trash stickers ($1.05 for a 13-gallon bag that contains no more than 25 pounds of trash or $2.10 for a 32-gallon bag that contains no more than 50 pounds) or annual decals at local grocery stores. For prices and purchase sites, see  www.charlottesville.org. Your trash collection may be included in your rent; ask your landlord.

Albemarle County

Albemarle County does not provide trash collection. Each county resident must dispose of their waste themselves, or contract with a private disposal hauler of their choice. Haulers serving Albemarle County are required to offer curbside pick-up of recyclables. If you rent, trash service is normally included in your rent, but ask your landlord before you sign your lease.

McIntire Road Recycling Center
McIntire Road (by baseball diamond next to County Office Building)
Hours: M-F 7:30 am - 5:30 pm, Sat 8 am - 4 pm, Sun
12:30 - 4 pm

Recycles newspaper, paper products, corrugated cardboard, milk jugs, glass, aluminum, and clothes. There is a also a little shed where you can put books you no longer want, and look around for any of your neighbors' old books or magazines to take home. You are asked to take no more than 10 books. Between the romance novels and old computer manuals, you may find a few gems. Used books can also be donated to the Jefferson Madison Regional Library's annual sale by dropping them off at the JMLR's Gordon Avenue branch.

UVA Recycling
Web site
P.O. Box 400726
575 Alderman Rd.
Charlottesville, Va. 22904-4726

UVA's recycling center is handy for items the city won't take, such as cardboard. It's off Alderman Road across from Slaughter Gym.

Rivanna Solid Waste Authority
Web site

Check this Web site for more information about recycling in the area and how to dispose of household hazardous wastes.