Closing day is only the beginning of making a new house feel like home. For buyers moving to Crystal Falls, the most useful next step is often the least glamorous: getting water flowing, power turned on, trash carts assigned, and internet installation scheduled without a last-minute scramble.
The good news is that the process is manageable once you know which provider handles which service. This guide is designed to be a practical, save-for-later reference for new Crystal Falls residents. Because service boundaries and availability can vary by address, begin by confirming your exact service location and move-in date with each provider. Then work through the checklist below.
The Quick Answer: Who Provides What?
For water, wastewater, trash, and recycling at homes within Leander city limits, start with City of Leander Utilities. For electricity, start with Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC). For natural gas—if the home uses it—start with Atmos Energy. The Internet is different: providers and plans vary by exact address, so use the FCC map and provider address checks before choosing a service.
Step 1: Set Up City of Leander Water, Wastewater, and Sanitation
For homes within Leander city limits, City of Leander Utilities administers new residential service for water, wastewater, and sanitation collection through one application. The City offers an online application as well as a printable version that can be returned by email, in person, or fax. Its current guidance says the earliest new connection can take effect on the following business day, so submit the request as soon as your move-in date is firm rather than waiting until moving trucks are already on the way.
For the most common 5/8-inch residential meter, the City currently lists a $100 deposit and a $20 service charge for an initial connection. Fees, timing, and application requirements can change, so review the current application and confirm your property’s details directly with Utility Billing before relying on a specific amount or date.
Before you begin, have your exact service address, mailing address if different, reliable contact details, identification and closing or occupancy information where requested, and preferred start date ready. The City’s online application provides the current setup instructions and requirements.
Once you have submitted the application, save the confirmation and any account number. Set up billing access promptly, then review the first bill to ensure water, wastewater, and sanitation charges appear as expected. If a question comes up, City Utility Billing Customer Service lists 512-259-1142 and customercare@leandertx.gov as contact options.
Step 2: Know How Trash & Recycling Work
For Leander city-limit residences, garbage and recycling collection is provided by the City’s contracted provider, Al Clawson Disposal, Inc. (ACDI), while service requests are administered through City of Leander Utility Billing. The City also states that sanitation service charges are included on the water bill, so new homeowners ordinarily do not need to open a separate household account with a different hauler for routine residential trash and recycling.
After your City account is underway, visit the City’s Garbage & Recycling page to confirm the current collection schedule and service details for your address. This is especially helpful during your first week, when the prior owner’s carts, a missed collection, or a holiday schedule can raise questions.
Move-in tip: Do not assume a neighborhood’s pickup day from a nearby home. Verify the schedule tied to your own address and keep recycling materials separated until you have reviewed the City’s current accepted-material guidance.
Step 3: Establish Electric Service Through PEC
The City of Leander identifies Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) as the electric utility serving Leander. PEC is a cooperative, so a new customer becomes a member as part of establishing service.
PEC’s standard residential start-service instructions apply to homes with an existing meter. If you are buying a newly constructed home or one that needs a new or altered electrical connection, use PEC’s construction and development guidance instead of assuming the regular move-in process will apply.
To begin service, PEC asks for information including your name, phone number, date of birth, email address, mailing and service addresses, payment method, and either a Social Security number or driver’s-license number. New members also select a bill due date, and any co-applicant needs identification. A letter of credit from a previous utility may help with a security-deposit requirement.
PEC currently lists a $50 refundable membership fee for new members and a $50 nonrefundable establishment fee for each service connection. A security deposit, if any, depends on factors such as identification, credit assessment, payment history, or enrollment options. Confirm the amount PEC quotes for your individual account, as policies and account outcomes can change.
If you need connection within the next two days: 888-554-4732
For electric outages or emergencies: 888-883-3379
Step 4: Connect Natural Gas with Atmos Energy (If Needed)
The City identifies Atmos Energy as Leander’s natural-gas provider. That does not necessarily mean every house uses natural gas. Before opening an account, confirm whether the home has a natural-gas meter and whether gas serves appliances such as the cooktop, fireplace, furnace, or water heater. Your inspection report, seller disclosures, builder information, and the equipment itself can help answer that question.
If the property uses natural gas, Atmos provides an online start-service process. The flow begins with your mailing or correspondence address, then asks for the gas service address, activation requirements, confirmation, and requested start date. Complete the process early enough to address any access, safety, or activation requirements the provider identifies for your home.
For routine assistance/customer service: 888-286-6700
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, leave the area immediately and call 911 and Atmos’s 24-hour emergency line at 866-322-8667
Step 5: Choose Internet Based On Your Exact Address
Internet is the service most likely to vary from one Crystal Falls street—or even one side of a street—to the next. The City of Leander notes that multiple providers serve Leander and the Greater Austin area, but it does not designate one citywide internet provider. A provider’s advertised service area is not a guarantee that the same plan, technology, speeds, equipment, or installation appointment will be available at your home.
Start with the FCC National Broadband Map. Search your property address, select the individual location point, and review the providers that report fixed broadband service there, the underlying technologies, and their maximum advertised download and upload speeds. Use that list to create a short comparison, not as a final order form.
Next, visit each prospective provider’s own address-check page or speak with its sales team. Confirm service availability, installation lead time, current pricing, equipment, data policies, and any contractual terms. When comparing plans, ask what is available at this exact address; whether it is fiber, cable, fixed wireless, satellite, or another technology; what download and upload speeds are offered; the earliest installation date; whether someone must be home; and what the current equipment, activation, autopay, or early-termination terms are.
If you work from home, rely on video calls, or plan to install a connected security system, begin the internet comparison before closing and book an installation appointment as soon as you are comfortable with your choice. For a new build or recently remodeled property, ask whether interior wiring, an exterior demarcation point, or homeowner access is needed before the technician arrives.
Step 6: Learn Leander’s Current Phase 2 Water-Conservation Schedule
A practical new-homeowner habit in Leander is learning the outdoor-water schedule before adjusting sprinklers or planting new landscaping. As of this guide’s verification date, the City states that Leander is in Phase 2 Water Conservation. Under Phase 2, landscape irrigation using automated systems, hose-end sprinklers, soaker hoses, or drip irrigation is limited to one day each week, based on the last digit of the address where the water meter is located. Permitted irrigation times are midnight to 7 a.m. or 7 p.m. to midnight.
If your address ends in
- 2 or 4: Water on Monday
- 1 or 5: Water on Tuesday
- 6: Water on Wednesday
- 0: Water on Thursday
- 9: Water on Friday
- 8: Water on Saturday
- 3 or 7: Water on Sunday
New landscaping deserves special attention. The City may grant 21-day variances for new landscaping, but says it does not grant them from May 10 through September 1 because of high summer water demand. It also asks residents watering new lawns or landscaping to operate irrigation before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. Review the City’s current conservation page before making seasonal irrigation changes because conservation stages and rules can be updated.
A simple first-week task: Find the irrigation controller, set its date and time, identify its assigned watering day, and turn off any schedule that runs outside the permitted windows. This small check can prevent a costly and frustrating surprise.
Your Move-In Timeline
One to two weeks before closing or possession: Confirm the precise service address; submit the City’s new-service application if applicable; start PEC service; verify whether the home uses natural gas; and compare internet options using the FCC map and provider address checks.
Three to seven days before move-in: Confirm activation dates and fees; schedule internet installation; review the City’s trash and recycling schedule; and collect account confirmation numbers.
Move-in day: Check that water, power, and—if applicable—gas service are active. Locate shutoffs and the irrigation controller, and confirm any internet appointment access instructions.
During the first week: Set up online billing and alerts; review the first City utility account for water, wastewater, and sanitation charges; confirm cart needs; and program irrigation for the correct Phase 2 day and time.
A Local Resource After The Keys Are Yours
At Mallach & Company, we believe a successful move extends well beyond the contract and closing table. Utility setup can involve small, address-specific questions that do not always fit neatly into a generic checklist. If you are preparing to move to Crystal Falls, our team is happy to help you identify the right questions to ask, point you toward official resources, and make your transition into the community feel more organized.
Crystal Falls Local is here for you.
Call/Text: Mallach & Company Real Estate at (512) 587-9127
Email: MallachandCompany@gmail.com
