UTILITIES & BASIC SERVICES
The utility companies listed below serve most or all of Pima County. Plan on phoning about a week ahead of your scheduled move-in date. Deposits may be required for new service.
Tucson Water Dept.
On-off/bill inquiries 791-3242
www.ci.tucson.az.us/water
Mon.–Fri. 7 a.m.–6 p.m.
Some areas in the county have their own water districts. For example, in Green Valley, phone Green Valley Water Co., 625-9112, or Community Water Co., 625-8409.
Southwest Gas Corp.
Customer service/bill inquiry 889-1888
www.swgas.com
Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Gas leak emergencies (available 24 hours) 800-722-4277
Tucson Electric Power Co.
Customer service/bill inquiries 623-7711
www.tucsonelectric.com
Mon.–Fri. 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
For some areas outside of Tucson and in Green Valley, phone TRICO Electric Cooperative, 744-2944.
Pima County Wastewater Management
Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–5 p.m. 740-6500
After-hours emergencies 295-4595
| New residence service, changes/billings/disconnections/repairs. | 800-244-1111 |
| New business service, changes/disconnections | 800-603-6000 |
| Repairs/residence | 800-573-1311 |
| Repairs/business | 800-954-1211 |
| Qwest Special Needs Center for the Disabled | 800-223-3131 |
AZ Area Codes
The southeastern portion of the state, including Tucson, plus Pima, Pinal, Cochise, and Santa Cruz Counties, uses area code 520. The Greater Phoenix area has three area codes: 480, 602, and 623. Most of northern and western Arizona—including Flagstaff, Prescott, and Yuma—use the area code 928.
Daylight Saving Time
The state of Arizona does not observe daylight saving time. Apr.–Oct. our time in Arizona is the same as Pacific Daylight Time (three hours earlier than Eastern Daylight Time). During the rest of the year, Arizona's Mountain Standard Time is two hours earlier than Eastern Standard Time.
Residential Garbage Pick-up
Tucson trash is collected once a week Mon.–Sat. at $14 a month. Trash must be out by 6 a.m. on the pick-up day. Phone 791-3171 to initiate pick-up service. Outside the city limits, several private companies compete for the service (some also provide recycling services).
| Desert Dwellers Disposal (DDD) in Marana | 682-8002 |
| Saguaro Environmental Services | 745-8820 |
| Waste Management Tucson, Marana, Catalina | 744-2600 |
| Green Valley, Amado, etc | 800-924-9550 |
| Household Hazardous-waste Collection | 888-6947 |
| County Landfill Information | 744-7649 |
Recycling
Curbside recycling is offered once a week citywide for single-family dwellings and apartments of four units or fewer. Special blue bins are delivered to residents, with instructions and schedules for their use. The City of Tucson, Pima County, and Tucson Clean and Beautiful have initiated Rethinkit, a community-wide campaign encouraging residents to rethink what they buy, use, and throw away. All recyclers accept seven basic items. Phone 791-5000 or visit www.tucsonrecycles.org for more information.
Cable/Pay TV
Cable TV suppliers include Comcast, serving Pima County residents including Marana and Oro Valley(744-1900) and Cox Communications, serving residents of Tucson, South Tucson (884-0133), Davis-Monthan (748-1378), and Patagonia (520-394-2413), along with Green Valley and parts of Sahuarita (884-0133). DirecTV (888-238-7177) offers a digital satellite alternative to standard cable TV.
Internet Service Providers
Going with a local provider has its advantages over larger national companies. Customer service is usually much better. And because local ISPs serve a smaller clientele, there's less traffic to the Internet—access is better and connecting can be faster. A few local ISPs include:
Dakotacom 745-3900
www.dakotacom.net
Gain Communications. 388-9100
www.gci-net.com
The River Internet Access Company. 745-1009
www.theriver.com