Utility service in Colorado is split among many kinds of providers. Your power may come from a cooperative in Cortez, your water from a special district in Montrose, and your sewer from a city department in Glenwood Springs. Each answers to a different board and keeps its own office hours. This page helps you work out which provider handles your problem and how to reach the right office.

Who Regulates Utilities in Colorado

At the state level, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates investor-owned electric and natural gas companies, along with certain telecommunications and transportation services. It sits inside the Department of Regulatory Agencies. The PUC approves rates, writes service rules, and hears complaints the company has not resolved. Xcel Energy, which has an office on Washington Avenue in Alamosa, is the best-known example.

Ratepayers also have an advocate. The Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate, part of the same department, speaks for residential, small business and agricultural customers in rate cases. It does not replace your utility's customer service line. It matters when a rate increase is under review and you want your voice on the record.

Not every provider falls under the PUC. Municipal systems such as Lamar Light & Power in Prowers County are run by a city council or utility board, so billing disputes go to the utility first and then to city hall. Electric cooperatives, including Empire Electric Association in Cortez, White River Electric in Meeker and United Power in Brighton, are owned by the members they serve and governed by an elected board. Many Colorado co-ops have chosen, by member vote, to set their own rates instead of filing them with the PUC.

Water follows a separate track. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Water Quality Control Division sets drinking water standards and permits wastewater discharges. Water rights belong to a different system, run by the Division of Water Resources under the State Engineer and decided in the state's water courts. Colorado uses prior appropriation, often summed up as first in time, first in right. Who holds a right matters as much as who treats the water.

Between those layers sit many special districts. Water, sanitation and metropolitan districts are created under state law, bill or tax their residents, and answer to an elected board. Menoken Water District near Montrose, College Park Water District in Golden and Fruitdale Sanitation District in Wheat Ridge are typical entries. If you live inside a district, it is your provider even when your mailing address carries a city name.

Metro, Mountain and Plains: How Utility Offices Differ Across Colorado

The Denver metro area has the densest cluster of offices. Denver itself has the most listings in our database, from LEESON Electric Corporation on East 47th Avenue to other utility-related businesses across the city. Surrounding suburbs often run their own water systems. Aurora City Water Utility on South Havana Street is listed in Arapahoe County, and the Arvada Water Quality Department on Ralston Road is listed in Jefferson County. If you are not sure where to start, browse by county: Jefferson County and Denver County carry the largest number of entries.

North of Denver, Larimer County and Weld County form a second cluster. Fort Collins Loveland Water District on Snead Drive, Loveland Water Treatment Plant and Carter Lake Filter Plant in Berthoud all sit in Larimer County. Much of the region's supply depends on the Colorado-Big Thompson Project, which carries Western Slope water through the Alva B. Adams Tunnel under the Continental Divide. In Weld County, Atmos Energy in Greeley is the natural gas company listed, while Longs Peak Water District lists a Longmont address.

Western Slope offices work differently. Distances are long, winter storms can close passes, and many customers rely on small local providers. Durango is home to a Tri-State Generation & Transmission listing, a wholesale power supplier owned by its member cooperatives. Cortez, Montrose, Glenwood Springs, Meeker and Granby each have local water, wastewater or electric offices. Winter Park West Water Department in Granby operates in Grand County, a resort area where demand shifts with the seasons.

On the eastern plains, offices are fewer and hours can be short. Lamar Light & Power operates in Lamar, and Fort Morgan hosts a Colorado Interstate Gas Co listing. That second one is a pipeline operator, not a retail utility, so you will not get a home bill from it. Several entries in our directory, including pipeline and midstream firms, are part of the energy supply chain rather than a customer-service counter. Check what an office does before you drive there.

Starting Electric and Gas Service in Colorado

To start service, contact the provider for your exact address. Rural customers often belong to a co-op, which may charge a membership fee and ask for a deposit. Investor-owned companies such as Xcel Energy follow PUC rules on deposits, disconnection notices and payment plans. Municipal utilities follow rules adopted by their own councils. Ask for the tariff or service rules if you want the details in writing.

Natural gas works the same way. Atmos Energy is the provider listed in Greeley, and Xcel Energy covers other parts of the state. If you smell gas, leave the building and call 911 and your gas company's emergency line from outside. Do not call the business office.

Water and Sewer Service in Colorado: Taps, Districts and Treatment

New construction usually requires a water tap and a sewer connection. Providers commonly charge one-time tap or plant investment fees on top of monthly rates, and amounts vary widely by district. Ask for the current fee schedule before you buy land or plan a build. Wells and livestock water may involve water rights, so check with the Division of Water Resources before drilling.

Wastewater is local too. City of Boulder Wastewater Utility on North 75th Street and Glenwood Springs Waste Water on 7th Street are municipal examples. In unsewered areas, septic systems are generally regulated through county public health or environmental health offices, so call your county first.

Before You Visit a Utility Office in Colorado

A short preparation list saves a second trip:

Call first. Many small offices, including those in Meeker, Cortez and Lamar, close for lunch or keep limited counter hours, and some take payments only by phone, mail or online. Phone numbers in our listings are a starting point, so confirm them against your latest bill. If a provider does not resolve a problem, ask who its governing body is. For regulated companies that is the PUC. For co-ops it is the board of directors. For districts and cities it is the elected board or council.

Municipal utility departments throughout Colorado provide electricity, water, sewer, and related services to millions of residents and businesses. Utility governance in Colorado is shaped by the state's public utility commission, which regulates investor-owned utilities, while municipally owned systems operate under local authority.

Utilities locations are available in 126 cities across Colorado. They are spread across 51 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of utility offices include Denver, Littleton, Durango, reflecting their larger populations and service area demands.

Colorado residents should contact their local utility provider directly for account setup, billing questions, and outage reporting. State-level utility assistance programs may also be available through the state's health and human services agency.

Utilities by Counties

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Colorado residents who need help paying utility bills may qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), administered through the state's community services offices. Contact your local utility provider to inquire about budget billing, shut-off protection, and additional assistance programs available in your area.

Browse Utilities by county across Colorado to find your local utility department's contact information and service office locations.

Digging, Outages and Winter Bills: Your First Call in Colorado

Three situations send most Coloradans to a utility office: a planned dig, an outage or leak, and a winter bill they cannot cover. Each has a different first call.

Before any digging, call 811, the Utility Notification Center of Colorado. The center notifies member utilities, which mark underground lines for free. Colorado law requires notice at least two business days before you dig, and that applies to fence posts and gardens as well as big projects. Marks are only a starting point, so dig carefully by hand near them.

For outages, report to your own provider, not to the state. A co-op in Meeker or Cortez and a large company in Alamosa each run separate outage lines. Water main breaks and sewer backups inside a city go to the city's utility department. In a special district, they go to the district office.

Winters make bills a problem. The Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), run by the Colorado Department of Human Services, typically accepts applications from November through April. Applications are commonly handled online or through county human services offices, for example in La Plata County around Durango or Garfield County around Glenwood Springs.

Save the after-hours numbers for your electric, gas and water providers in your phone now. Outages and leaks rarely happen during office hours, and a main break in January is a bad time to search for a number. Also note where your water shutoff valve and gas meter are, so you can act before a crew arrives.

Common Questions About Utilities in Colorado

It depends on who owns your provider. For investor-owned companies such as Xcel Energy, start with customer service and ask for a supervisor if the first call fails. If the issue stays unresolved, you can file a complaint with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. For a municipal utility such as Lamar Light & Power, the next step is the city's utility board or council. For a cooperative such as United Power in Brighton or Empire Electric Association in Cortez, contact the co-op's board, since members elect it. Keep copies of bills, emails and the names of people you speak with.

Look at the name on your water bill first; it is the most reliable answer. Mailing addresses can mislead, because many districts cover unincorporated land or parts of several cities. Examples in our listings include Fort Collins Loveland Water District in Larimer County and Longs Peak Water District, which lists a Longmont address. If your bill is unclear, ask your county assessor or clerk, or check the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, which keeps public records on special districts. Your property tax bill may also list a district's mill levy.

Yes. Colorado law requires you to contact the Utility Notification Center of Colorado, reachable by dialing 811, before most excavation. Notice must come at least two business days ahead, not counting the day you call. Member utilities then mark their buried lines with paint or flags at no charge. Marks show approximate location only, so dig carefully by hand near them. Private lines, such as a sprinkler feed or a line to a detached garage, are usually not marked, so locate those yourself or hire a private locator. Skipping the call can leave you with repair bills if you strike a line.

LEAP, run by the Colorado Department of Human Services, helps eligible households with winter heating costs. The application season typically runs from November through April. Eligibility depends on household size and income, and the limits change, so check current figures before you apply. Applications are commonly submitted online or through your county human services office. Energy Outreach Colorado, a nonprofit, also offers bill assistance. If you are behind on payments, call your provider early and ask about payment plans. Regulated companies must follow PUC rules before they disconnect service.

Many accept walk-ins, but hours vary, so call first. Empire Electric Association in Cortez lists 970-565-4444, White River Electric in Meeker lists 970-878-9876, and Lamar Light & Power lists 719-336-0983. Some offices close at midday or take payments only by drop box, mail or phone. Entries such as Mesa Water Treatment Plant in Colorado Springs or Carter Lake Filter Plant in Berthoud are operating facilities rather than customer counters. Call the number on your bill for service questions instead of driving to a plant.

First find out whose pipe is failing. The sewer main in the street belongs to the city or sanitation district. The service line from your house to the main often belongs to the property owner, though rules differ by provider. If the main is the problem, call the utility, such as Glenwood Springs Waste Water at 970-384-6344 or City of Boulder Wastewater Utility at 303-441-3200, or the district, such as Fruitdale Sanitation District in Wheat Ridge at 303-424-5476. For a septic system, contact your county public health or environmental health office. Photograph the damage and tell your insurer promptly.