How to Set Up Utilities in Maricopa AZ Before You Close

Updated August 2026

By James Sanson, REALTOR®, Real Broker LLC. Licensed in Arizona since August 2002 and working the City of Maricopa market since 2004. See how long he has worked this market.

Published August 17, 2026 / Updated August 17, 2026

Quick answer: Start the utility transfers about two weeks before closing and open accounts in this order: ED3 for electricity, Global Water for water and sewer, the assigned trash hauler, then internet. ED3 needs at least 24 hours' notice and only connects Monday through Friday, so a Friday closing with a weekend move needs the electric request in by Thursday at the latest.

On this page

1. The two week timeline
2. Opening the ED3 account
3. If ED3 asks for a deposit
4. Opening the Global Water account
5. Trash, gas, and internet
6. If you are the one leaving

The utility handoff is where an otherwise clean Maricopa closing turns into a bad first night. The failure is almost always the same: the buyer assumes power transfers automatically at recording, and it does not. Below is the sequence that works, with the specific requirements each provider actually enforces. For the provider list itself, see the full Maricopa utility provider list.

The two-week timeline

Roughly two weeks out, confirm three unknowns with the seller or the HOA: which trash hauler serves the address, whether the house has natural gas service, and which internet providers reach the block. Those answers determine how many accounts you are actually opening.

About one week out, open the ED3 and Global Water accounts with a start date set to the day of recording. Both allow a future start date, so there is no reason to wait.

Two to three business days out, schedule the internet installation. This is the one with a real appointment queue, and it is the one people put off.

The day before recording, confirm the ED3 connection is on the schedule. ED3 requires at least 24 hours' notice to connect and completes requests Monday through Friday only. Same-day connection is available for an additional charge, but same-day disconnection is not offered.

Opening the ED3 account

ED3 runs a soft credit check to verify identity and set deposit requirements, so it asks for a Social Security number, date of birth, and driver's license number at setup. ED3 states the check does not affect your credit score and does not appear on your credit report.

ED3 publishes a service establishment charge on every residential account, and all establishment charges must be paid before service is connected. Check the current amount on the ED3 site before you set up service. Confirm the current figure with ED3 at (520) 424-9021, because fees are set by board action and change without notice.

If ED3 asks for a deposit

Depending on the soft credit check result, ED3 may assess a security deposit. The amount is published on the ED3 site and ED3 can change it. A deposit held on the account is refundable after 24 months of good payment history.

There is an alternative worth knowing about. ED3 offers a prepaid metering program, a self-managed account with no deposit and no late fees, in which electricity is paid for before it is used. For a buyer who is cash-tight at closing after the down payment and closing costs, that deposit is the difference between money tied up at move-in and none. Ask ED3 about pre-paid metering when you open the account, not after the deposit is assessed.

Opening the Global Water account

Global Water launches a new service via an online start service form. Existing customers manage the account through the WaterSmart portal, and billing questions and emergencies both go to (866) 940-1102.

Set up online account access on day one rather than waiting until a problem arises. The portal shows usage by hour and day, making it the cheapest leak-detection option available to a new owner in a desert climate. If the first bill looks wrong, hourly data either finds the overnight draw or clears the house.

Trash, gas, and internet

Trash is the one you cannot shop. The hauler is contracted by the community under Maricopa City Code 8.05.020, so call whichever of the two serves the address: Waste Management at (602) 268-2222 or Waste Connections of Arizona at (480) 983-9101, and confirm the pickup day.

Gas only applies if the house has it. Several Maricopa subdivisions were built all-electric, so verify at the address with Southwest Gas at 877-860-6020 rather than assuming.

Internet appointments are available to book early: Cox at (888) 988-0167, CenturyLink at (866) 642-0444, or Orbitel at (520) 568-8890 in communities where Orbitel is the incumbent.

If you are the one leaving

Do not disconnect anything before recording. Power and water need to remain on during the final walkthrough so the buyer can test the HVAC, run the taps, and check the water heater. In a Maricopa summer, a house with the power cut two days early is a house with a failed walkthrough and a delayed close.

Schedule the stop date for the day after recording, and remember that ED3 does not do same-day disconnections, so build in the notice period. If you are working through what else needs to be sequenced before a Maricopa closing, a local listing agent who manages the closing calendar handles this alongside everything else on the schedule.

Provider names, phone numbers, fees, and procedures on this page were verified in August 2026 against each provider and the City of Maricopa. Utility companies change fees and procedures without notice. Confirm current amounts and requirements directly with the provider before you rely on them. This page is general information about service providers, not legal, tax, or financial advice.

Buying or selling in 85138 and 85139 means dealing with every one of these accounts on a deadline. If you want the utility handoff handled alongside the rest of the transaction, reach James Sanson and his team at 520-838-8037. Calls only, no text messages.

James Sanson | Real Broker LLC | Licensed in Arizona