Texas Water and Sewer Bills for New Residents (2026)

Water looks simple until your lease mentions a MUD you have never heard of. In Texas, city utilities, municipal utility districts, and landlord master billing all show up as “water and sewer” on move-in day.

Who sends the bill?

Provider type	Common in
City of Austin / SAWS / Dallas Water Utilities	Urban cores
MUD (special district)	Suburban Houston, many master-planned communities
Landlord submeter	Some older apartments

Your lease addendum should name the exact company and phone number.

Starting service

Call or use the provider portal with:

• Service start date (align with key pickup)
• Billing address if mail is forwarded
• Deposit payment method

MUDs may take longer to activate than city utilities — call before you move furniture.

DPS and residency

A water bill in your name is gold for driver license transfer paired with a lease. Roommate-only water accounts fail the window.

Sewer, trash, and drainage fees

One bill often bundles:

• Sewer volume charge
• Stormwater/drainage
• Optional trash (city) or private hauler (HOA)

Read line items — “usage” vs “base” charges differ.

Irrigation and summer spikes

Central Texas lawn watering can triple summer gallons. Set sprinkler schedules after you see the first full cycle.

References

• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality — utility districts
• City water department for your address (search “start water service” + city)