Photo: Sarah Stierch (Missvain), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsUtilities are the one move task that has a hard order. Nothing else on the list works until the lights are on, and the license office wants a bill with your name and new address. This page covers who provides what, what the water authority says about starting and stopping service, and the watering schedule that surprises newcomers in their first summer.
Who provides what
Electric service in the Reno and Sparks area comes from NV Energy, and the company's site lists gas and electric pricing plans, including time-of-use options and an online comparison tool. Water comes from the Truckee Meadows Water Authority, called TMWA. Trash and recycling are handled by the franchise hauler for your address, covered on the trash and recycling page. Internet and phone providers vary by street, so check a provider's address lookup before you sign a lease.
Starting, transferring and stopping water
TMWA's start, stop or transfer page says new service and transfers are requested by phone, and a stop can be requested by phone or through My Account. When you stop service you must give a mailing address for the final bill. TMWA reminds customers that moving out is their responsibility to report, asks for five business days to process the request, and notes that you are responsible for all charges until service ends.
That five day window matters if you are leaving a Reno address for another one. Call before packing day, not after, so the final bill goes to the right address.
The order that works
- Two to three weeks before the move, call or log in to NV Energy and TMWA and ask for service to start on the day you get keys.
- Give each utility the date you want service, the service address and a mailing address for bills.
- Keep the confirmation email or the first bill. It is a ready-made proof of address for the DMV.
- Schedule internet installation for the same week, since installers often book ahead of move-in dates.
- Cancel or transfer service at the address you are leaving, giving TMWA its five business days.
- Keep a list of account numbers in your first-night box. The first-night box guide covers what else belongs in it.
Sprinkler rules every new homeowner should know
TMWA runs an assigned-day watering plan for sprinklers. If the last digit of your address is even (0, 2, 4, 6 or 8), you may run sprinklers on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Odd addresses water on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Drip systems and hand watering with a hose are allowed any day.
The water authority also asks customers to shut sprinklers off between 12 noon and 6 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and to rest them on Mondays, which is the day TMWA replenishes its system. A new yard that was installed over the winter will need a plan, and the TMWA page lists tips for efficient watering.
Renters and owners
Renters should ask the landlord which services are included before opening accounts, since some apartment communities bundle water or trash. Owners open every account in their own name. In Reno about half of households rent, so the question comes up often. The renting page adds more.
If you are moving in with a truck on the same day, confirm that power is on before the crew arrives. Loading a house with no lights is slower for everyone. Our guide to transferring utilities has a checklist for the old address as well.