Neighborhoods

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November 12, 2026

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Utilities in Los Gatos, CA: Who Serves Your Address and What to Check

Utilities in Los Gatos, CA depend on your address. Town homes use San Jose Water and public sewer; hillside homes may rely on a well, septic, or propane.

Utilities in Los Gatos, CA, depend on the exact address. Homes in town plug into a regulated setup, while many hillside homes rely on a mutual water company or private well, septic, and sometimes propane. Single-family homes are currently selling at 104.2% of list in a median 22 days.

Buyers need to know which setup a home is on before writing an offer, not during escrow. Finding out about a failing septic system or a dry well weeks into a transaction often leads to canceled contracts. By checking the service providers and infrastructure early, you can submit a confident bid.

Key takeaway

Town homes use San Jose Water and public sewer; hillside homes depend on a mutual water company or well, septic, and sometimes propane. If you want the simplest setup, start with homes on public water and sewer.

If you want hillside land, line up well, septic, and power-shutoff checks before you write. Single-family homes are selling in a median of 22 days, giving you little time for slow due diligence.

Who this guide is for

You're looking at homes in Los Gatos and need to know which utilities serve a given address, what they'll cost, and what to check before you make an offer.

Utility providers across Los Gatos

Providers depend on where you live inside the city limits or up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Town homes use San Jose Water, a public sewer district, and PG&E-delivered power, often with Silicon Valley Clean Energy generating the electricity. Review the wider cost of living in Los Gatos to see how these standard utility bills fit into your overall budget.

Properties in the hills frequently rely on a well or mutual water system, a septic tank, and delivered propane. A lower price on a hillside property doesn't mean a longer window to research utilities before writing an offer.

Choosing the right utility setup

If the listing or disclosure says "public water" and "public sewer," read about the utilities for homes in town. If it says well, mutual water company, or septic, skip to the hillside and mountain homes section. Buyers planning to build, remodel, or replace gas appliances should read the natural gas section first, because the town's rules for new construction may limit new gas hookups. If you're still narrowing down areas, compare the best neighborhoods in Los Gatos to see which utility setups they typically use. The pros and cons of living in Los Gatos help clarify which of these property types suits your lifestyle.

If you need reliable home internet for work, read the internet section and test the connection at the address before falling for a hillside lot. For homes in a high fire-threat area, read about power shutoffs and backup power. If that home is on a well, you need to understand that the pump requires electricity to get water to your taps.

With 56.8% of single-family homes selling above list price, you may have little time for well, septic, and water-company reviews. If you want the simplest utility setup with the least due diligence before an offer, start with homes in town on San Jose Water and public sewer. A regulated water utility and sewer district remove those checks.

If you want hillside land or privacy and are willing to own more of your utilities, look for hillside homes on a mutual water company or well. The well, septic, propane, and power-shutoff checks can be done before you write, so you can still compete without guessing.

Utilities for homes in town

Homes inside the main town borders generally connect to regulated public utilities. This setup mirrors what you'd expect in most suburban environments: monthly bills, centralized maintenance, and someone else responsible for infrastructure repairs and upgrades. You pay for the service; they handle the rest. Here's how each major service works for town properties.

Water

San Jose Water serves most of the town. The bill includes a fixed monthly service charge based on your meter size, plus a tiered quantity rate for the water you use. A standard 5/8x3/4-inch meter carries a fixed charge of $78.64 per month.

San Jose Water is also rolling out an advanced metering infrastructure project across portions of Los Gatos, with completion expected in 2026.

The fixed service charge is billed whether you use a little water or a lot. A low-usage household won't see a proportionally low bill, because fixed charges have been rising and hit your statement regardless of conservation.

Electricity

PG&E owns the power lines and handles outages across the area. Los Gatos is a member of Silicon Valley Clean Energy, which acts as the default electric generation provider. Accounts in this service area are automatically enrolled with GreenStart for clean electricity, though customers can opt out and return to PG&E generation. The default generation rates are set 1% lower than PG&E's generation rates.

Your monthly statement will show both companies. Switching your generation supplier doesn't remove PG&E delivery charges, and those delivery fees make up a large share of your total monthly bill.

Natural gas

PG&E supplies natural gas where mains exist in town. The main factor to watch is the town's building rules for new construction and major remodels. Los Gatos may require new homes to be all-electric, so confirm the current ordinance and its effective date with the building department before finalizing your plans.

If you're planning to tear down or add on, a gas range or furnace you take for granted might not be allowed in the new work. Sort that out early.

Sewer

Sewer service comes from the West Valley Sanitation District. Unlike water or electricity, you won't receive a monthly statement. Your sewer bill rides on the property tax bill instead, billed as an annual charge.

For a single-family residence, the sanitary sewer service charge is $691.80 per year, which works out to about $57.65 per month. Properties in the district's Hillside Zone pay an additional $100 per year. That charge is bundled with taxes, so find the sewer service charge line on the current property tax bill to verify the amount.

Trash and recycling

West Valley Collection & Recycling provides weekly curbside collection for single-family residents, covering organics, recycling, and landfill carts. Your monthly rate depends on the size of the landfill cart you choose. The rate for a 35-gallon cart is $57.22 per month, billed quarterly.

A bigger landfill cart raises the monthly rate. Steep or narrow hillside driveways can also change where the hauler requires you to place your carts.

Internet

Cable and fiber availability vary street by street. Check the Federal Communications Commission National Broadband Map and individual provider websites for your specific address. Don't assume a specific speed or provider is available just because you see their trucks in town. Enter the exact address in provider lookups before relying on remote work.

Coverage in town can stop a short drive up the hill. A provider serving a nearby street doesn't guarantee service at your exact address.

Utilities for hillside and mountain homes

Moving into the Santa Cruz Mountains changes how your home gets its basic services. Review the types of homes in Los Gatos to see how hillside estates and acreage properties differ from town lots.

In these areas, the risk and maintenance shift from a regulated utility company to the property owner. You'll likely rely on some combination of the following systems.

Mutual water companies

Some hillside neighborhoods get water from small member-owned systems. Villa Del Monte Mutual Water Company, for example, serves a neighborhood near Summit Road, drawing from Laurel Creek and purchased San Jose Water. Buying the house typically makes you a part-owner of the water system. These systems operate under state oversight and issue annual water quality reports.

Small systems spread repair costs over a few members. A failed tank or pipeline can mean a special assessment. If the home is on a mutual water company, ask for its budget, reserves, planned assessments, bylaws, and latest water quality report before you get attached to the property.

Private wells

A private well requires a permit from the Santa Clara County water district, known as Valley Water. The county environmental health department oversees construction and recommends annual potability testing by a state-certified lab.

A private well can still come with a groundwater charge from the county water district. For the North County zone covering Los Gatos, the municipal and industrial groundwater production charge is $2,450 per acre-foot for the current fiscal year. If yield drops in a drought or the pump fails, the repair is yours. If the home is on a well, ask for recent flow test and water quality test results, and whether any shared-well agreement is recorded.

Septic systems

Where a public sewer is not available within 300 feet of the property line, homes use an onsite wastewater treatment system. The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health issues the permits and oversees inspections. The county recommends pumping residential septic tanks every three to five years. A current pumper's report and a 30-minute water test are required when applying for building additions.

A failing system on a steep lot can be expensive and slow to permit, and it can limit adding a bedroom or a second unit. Ask for septic inspection and pumping records, and check the county permit file.

Propane

Where there are no natural gas mains, heat, hot water, and cooking may run on propane delivered by truck to a storage tank on your property. If the tank is leased, you may be locked into one supplier's prices. Ask whether the propane tank is owned or leased, and by which supplier.

Power shutoffs and backup power

The California Public Utilities Commission maintains a High Fire-Threat District map that companies like PG&E use to apply enhanced safety rules. During severe weather, PG&E may initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff in expanded or extreme risk areas. The designation is specific to the parcel, so check the official CPUC map viewer for your address.

On a well, a power shutoff can also stop your water, because the pump runs on electricity. Backup power is only as good as its setup. Ask whether any generator or battery has a permitted transfer switch and whether it powers the well pump.

Checking a home's utilities before making an offer

A home's utility setup requires a few specific verification steps, and you want all of it gathered before you submit a bid. Surprises during the escrow period are avoidable. By checking the seller's documents and county records early, you can confirm exactly what you're buying.

Read the seller disclosures

The standard California disclosure packet asks the seller to state their water source, sewer or septic setup, and fire-hazard status. Look for these specific line items when you review the file. If the seller provides a vague answer, ask for clarification immediately.

Disclosures reflect what the seller knows, not an official inspection. Treat them as a starting point, not a finish line.

Ask for 12 months of utility bills

Ask the seller for 12 months of water, PG&E, and propane bills. This lets you see seasonal swings, like heavy summer irrigation or winter heating costs. Sellers can prepare these documents ahead of time when selling a home in town.

The bills show the seller's habits, not yours. A larger household or more landscaping will change the numbers.

Confirm the water and sewer source with the county

Use county environmental health records to find well and septic permits. You can also use the local water provider's service-area lookup to confirm what the listing says. Older hillside systems may predate current permit records. A missing file means asking more questions, not that nothing is there.

Look up fire-threat and shutoff status

Check the address on the CPUC fire-threat map to see if it falls in an expanded or extreme risk tier. You can also sign up for PG&E address alerts to receive notifications about potential shutoffs. Map tiers change over time, so check the current version of the map, not a past listing's screenshot.

Test internet at the address

While you're at the showing, check your phone's signal for calls and enter the exact address in provider lookups. Provider lookups can be optimistic, and a neighbor's experience is a useful second check.

Los Gatos housing market at a glance

In a fast-moving market, contingency periods tend to be short. Utility checks belong in the pre-offer phase so you can submit a strong bid. Review what to expect when buying a home in Los Gatos to understand the offer process.

Median sale price, single family: $2,873,854, down 7.3% year over year (90 days ending 2026-09-30, 45 sales)
Median sale price, all homes: $2,438,839, down 3.4% year over year (90 days ending 2026-09-30, 65 sales)
Median days on market, single family: 22; all homes: 26 (90 days ending 2026-09-30)
Sale-to-list price, single family: 104.2%; all homes: 102.4% (90 days ending 2026-09-30)
Share sold above list, single family: 56.8%; all homes: 45.3% (90 days ending 2026-09-30)
Months of supply, single family: 3.1; all homes: 3.5 (90 days ending 2026-09-30)
Median price per square foot, single family: $1,334; all homes: $1,209 (90 days ending 2026-09-30)

Los Gatos utilities FAQs

Are utilities expensive in Los Gatos?

Yes, fixed charges can make them expensive. San Jose Water charges a fixed monthly service fee based on meter size, such as $78.64 for a standard meter, plus a tiered usage rate that reaches $14.1659 per 100 cubic feet for high use. For electricity, Silicon Valley Clean Energy provides default generation rates set 1% lower than PG&E's generation rates. Ask the seller for 12 months of bills to see the actual costs.

Where does Los Gatos tap water come from?

It depends on your provider. San Jose Water delivers a blend of groundwater, imported surface water purchased from Valley Water, and locally treated mountain surface water. Hillside homes may instead rely on a mutual water company or a private well drawing from local aquifers.

Is Los Gatos in Santa Clara County?

Yes. The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health oversees private wells and septic systems in the area. The Santa Clara Valley Water District, known as Valley Water, issues well construction permits and charges a groundwater production fee in the local benefit zone.

How do I check if the power is out in Los Gatos?

You can view a live outage map on the PG&E Outage Center website. The site lets you search by address to get restoration information and see if your home might be impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff. You can also sign up for PG&E Address Alerts by phone, text, or email to receive advance notice of potential shutoffs.

Is well water cheaper than San Jose Water in Los Gatos?

It depends on your maintenance costs. A private well has no monthly water bill, but you pay for the pump's electricity, annual testing, treatment, and a potential Valley Water groundwater charge of $2,450 per acre-foot. San Jose Water charges a fixed monthly fee plus tiered usage rates, so ask the seller for well maintenance records to compare the true costs.

How much does it cost to switch from a well to city water in Los Gatos?

The cost depends on the distance to a water main and the utility's specific connection charges. San Jose Water requires an Individual Customer Connection Fee for new service, and applicants might have to advance funds for a main extension if the existing infrastructure falls short. Ask the utility whether your address is inside its service area before assuming a hookup is possible.

What runs up a water bill in Los Gatos?

Outdoor irrigation in the summer is the primary driver of high water bills. High usage pushes you into San Jose Water's most expensive tier, which charges $14.1659 per 100 cubic feet for usage over 12 Ccf. Leaks can also cause spikes, though the ongoing rollout of advanced smart meters will help flag those issues sooner.

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