As you prepare to relocate to a new home or even a new city, one of the many things you’ll need to tackle on your to-do list is having utilities turned on at your new home. Ideally, you’ll want to have most utilities turned on at least a day before you move in so your home is ready when you are.
With its cold winters, be prepared for high utility bills in Cambridge, MA during the chilly months. After all, Massachusetts residents pay some of the country’s highest utility bills with an average cost of $469 per month for electricity, gas, and related costs, according to a Move.org report, compared to a national average of $182 for gas and electricity. You can learn more about the cost of living in Cambridge here ahead of your move.
Ready to get started? Most Cambridge utilities allow you to turn on or transfer service with an online request or over the phone. Here’s what you should know about all major utility providers in Cambridge, MA.
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Cambridge Electric Utilities | Eversource Energy
The electricity provider in Cambridge is Eversource Energy which also provides gas services. Eversource is the largest energy provider in New England and serves New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut and merged with Boston-based NSTAR.
Note that all new electricity accounts in Cambridge are enrolled in the city’s new Cambridge Community Electricity program. Your utility provider still delivers your electricity but it’s supplied by a third party. You can choose to opt out, but this program uses municipal aggregation or bulk purchasing power to secure lower rates and increase renewable energy use. The rates through the program are usually lower than the “basic service” rates offered by utility companies.
How to Start/Transfer Electricity Services in Cambridge
To start, stop, or transfer electric utilities in Cambridge, go to Eversource.com and choose “I want to start/stop service” from the main drop-down menu. After creating an Eversource account, you can submit a request for new service online or request that service be transferred to a new address within Eastern Massachusetts.
How to Pay Your Cambridge Electric Bill
You can pay your Eversource bill online at Eversource.com with your bank information or debit/credit card. You can also sign up for auto pay online.
Eversource also accepts payments by phone at 800-592-2000 with no charge, by mail, and in person.
To pay by mail, send a money order or check with your account number in the memo line to:
Eversource
PO Box 56007
Boston, MA 02205-6007
To pay in person, view Eversource’s map of authorized retailers across Massachusetts. Note that some locations do charge a small fee but most don’t.
Contact Information for Eversource Energy
- Website: https://www.eversource.com/content/ema-c
- Address: Eversource Energy, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
- Phone number: 800-592-2000
Cambridge, MA Gas Utilities | Eversource Energy
Eversource also provides gas services in Cambridge. You can see Eversource’s current gas rates here. Your gas bill in Cambridge will include a monthly customer charge, a distribution charge, a distribution adjustment, and a revenue decoupling adjustment. If your home uses natural gas for heating, you can expect to pay about $1,082 (746 therms) on average for an entire winter, according to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources.
How to Start Gas Utilities in Cambridge
To start gas service, visit the Eversource website and select “I want to start/stop service” from the drop-down menu. You’ll need an Eversource login to submit an online request to start service or transfer service if you’re moving within the Cambridge area.
How to Pay Your Cambridge Gas Bill
Eversource allows you to pay your gas bill online at Eversource.com with a debit/credit card or bank information and sign up for automatic payments.
To make payments over the phone with your bank account or credit card, call 800-592-2000. You can also mail money order and check payments to:
Eversource
PO Box 56007
Boston, MA 02205-6007
In-person payments are accepted at authorized retailers, usually without a fee. View the map of authorized payment centers here.
Contact Information for Eversource Energy
- Website: https://www.eversource.com/content/ema-c
- Address: Eversource Energy, 800 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199
- Phone number: 800-592-2000
Cambridge Water Services | Cambridge Water Department (CWD)
Cambridge water utilities are provided by the Cambridge Water Department. CWD is a municipally owned water utility that serves about 100,000 residents. CWD uses a block rate system that’s designed to encourage conservation with higher rates charged for blocks of higher water consumption. There’s also a senior discount of 15% available to residents 65 and older who own their home.
How to Set Up Water Utilities in Cambridge, MA
To start or transfer water service, you’ll need to call the Cambridge Water Department at 617-349-4770.
How to Pay Your Cambridge Water Bill
CWD bills quarterly with bills due within 30 days. The Cambridge Water Department bills along with the Tax Collector’s Office.
You can pay your water bill online through the payment portal here or make a payment by check. Checks should be made payable to The City of Cambridge and mailed to:
Tax Collector’s Office
City of Cambridge
PO Box 399142
Cambridge, MA 02139-9142
Mail check payments or make payments in person at the Tax Collector’s Office at:
Cambridge City Hall
795 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02139
Contact Information for Cambridge Water Department
- Website: https://www.cambridgema.gov/Water
- Address: Cambridge Water Department, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02138
- Phone number: 617-349-4770
Cambridge Trash Services & Recycling | City of Cambridge Public Works
The City of Cambridge offers weekly curbside trash pickup, recycling, and compost. Cambridge supports recycling efforts in the city with strict rules on how trash should be sorted. Green compost bins, for example, should be used for food scraps to guard against rodents while blue bins are for recyclables. You can learn more about the Public Works collection services here.
You can also visit CambridgeMA.gov/RecycleSupplies to request recycling carts as well as compost supplies.
How to Start Trash Pickup in Cambridge, MA
You can start trash and recycling pickup in Cambridge by visiting the Tax Collector’s Office at City Hall or by calling the Department of Public Works at 617-349-4800.
How to Pay Your Cambridge Trash Bill
You can pay your trash bill online through the City of Cambridge online payment portal but there is a convenience fee of 2.75% for debit/credit cards and $0.40 for ACH payments.
You can also make payments in person at the Tax Collector’s Office at:
Cambridge City Hall
795 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02139
Check payments may be mailed to the above address or left in the lockbox.
Contact Information for City of Cambridge Public Works
- Website: https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/publicworks
- Address: 147 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139
- Phone number: 617-349-4800
Cambridge Internet Services | Comcast, Verizon, & netBlazr
There’s no surviving in this day and age without the internet! Fortunately, there are several major internet providers in Cambridge, MA. Most homes in Cambridge can receive cable or DSL internet and about 5% of addresses can sign up for fiber optic internet through Google or Verizon.
One of the largest providers is Verizon with fiber optic, DSL, and cable options with speeds up to 940 Mbps as well as TV plans.
Xfinity offers speeds up to 2,000 Mbps through Comcast with no-contract DSL internet and TV packages available.
netBlazr is a local Boston-based internet provider with 500-1,000 Mbps month-to-month service.
Contact Information for Cambridge Internet Providers
Xfinity
- Website: https://www.xfinity.com/locations/massachusetts/cambridge/
- Phone number: 1-800-XFINITY
- Address: Comcast Center, 1701 John F Kennedy Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Verizon
- Website: https://www.verizon.com/
- Phone number: 1-800-225-5499
- Address: Verizon Corporate Office, 140 West St, New York, NY 10007
netBlazr
- Website: https://www.netblazr.com/
- Phone number: 617-718-5500
- Address: netBlazr, 17 Caldwell St, Boston, MA 02129
Now that you know how to set up utilities in Cambridge, you’re ready to begin the next stage of moving to beautiful Cambridge, Massachusetts! You can learn more about what to expect living in Cambridge then turn to the award-winning Cambridge movers at Mass Bay Movers to make your relocation a breeze and handle all of the heavy lifting and packing!
