Last verified: June 1, 2026. Utility rates, payment options, contact details, and outage status change over time — always confirm time-sensitive details at the official Tacoma Public Utilities links provided below before acting.
If you live or run a business inside the city, the City of Tacoma Department of Public Utilities — almost everyone just calls it TPU — is the single agency behind the power in your outlets, the water at your tap, and even the sewer and garbage lines on your monthly statement. This guide cuts through the menu trees: how to pay, what the rates look like, how to start or stop service, and where to check the live outage map when the lights go down.
Tacoma Public Utilities at a glance
- Pay your bill: Log in to the TPU MyAccount portal to pay by card or bank transfer, or pay by mail, phone, or in person. Residential pay-by-phone runs through 253-502-8608.
- Customer service: Reach TPU at 253-502-8600 (toll-free 800-752-6745), Monday–Friday; confirm current hours and contact options on the official customer service page.
- Report a power outage: Call the dedicated outage line 253-502-8602, report it inside MyAccount, or text “OUT” to 50419 if you’re enrolled in text alerts.
- Live outage map: The interactive Tacoma Power outage map is real-time — check live rather than relying on any printed status.
- Electric & water rates: New Tacoma Power rates took effect April 1, 2026; see the official power rates and water rates pages for current schedules.
- Sewer & garbage: City of Tacoma Environmental Services charges (wastewater, surface water, solid waste, recycling) ride on your TPU bill; billing questions go to the City at 253-502-2100.
How to pay your Tacoma Public Utilities bill
The fastest route is the MyAccount portal, where you can pay with a card or move money directly from a checking or savings account. MyAccount also lets you set up paperless billing, autopay, and outage text alerts in one place.
Prefer not to use the web? TPU keeps several options open, detailed on its Ways to Pay page:
- By phone: Residential customers can pay by card at 253-502-8608 (also TPU’s 24-hour automated line); general customer service is 253-502-8600.
- In person: Visit the TPU Administration Building at 3628 S. 35th St., Tacoma, WA 98409.
- Pay Boxes: Located at select grocery stores around Pierce County and at the Administration Building.
- By mail: Send your payment with the remittance stub from your statement.
If money is tight, don’t wait for a shutoff notice. TPU’s payment assistance page lists bill-credit programs, discount rates for qualifying households, and payment arrangements — call customer service early and they can usually work something out.
Electric and water rates, and how to read your bill
Tacoma Power is a publicly owned, hydropower-heavy utility, which is a big reason Tacoma’s electricity has historically stayed well below the national average. New power rates took effect April 1, 2026; TPU has said the typical residential customer should expect an average increase of roughly $7.09 per month under the new schedule. Because the exact per-kWh energy charge and monthly basic charge are set in the formal rate schedule and adjust periodically, confirm the current figures on the official Power Rates Schedule (Schedule A1 for residential service) rather than budgeting off an old number.
Water customers can review the residential and commercial water rate structure on the Tacoma Water rates page. One thing that surprises new arrivals: a single TPU statement can bundle electric, water, and the City’s environmental charges together — so a month-over-month jump isn’t always your power usage. Itemize the bill before you assume the cause.
Starting, stopping, or transferring service
Moving into a Tacoma address, or out of one? Set up, disconnect, or transfer your electric and water service through the Start/Stop Service page. Have your service address, move date, and ID ready. New connections that require a field appointment — meter sets, certain water taps, and the like — are scheduled through TPU’s appointment system, and customer service at 253-502-8600 can walk you through what your specific property needs. Builders and contractors pulling new electric or water connections should start that conversation early, since infrastructure work has lead time.
Power outages: report it, then check the live map
When your power goes out, report it first — outages aren’t always automatically detected, and a quick report helps crews pinpoint the affected area. You can report by calling the dedicated outage line 253-502-8602, through MyAccount, or by texting “OUT” to 50419 if you’ve enrolled in text notifications.
To see where outages are happening and follow restoration progress, use the real-time Tacoma Power outage map. Outage counts and restoration estimates change minute to minute, so we don’t print current numbers here — check live at the official map for the truth on the ground. A few safety reminders from TPU: stay far away from any downed line and always assume it’s energized; unplug sensitive electronics; keep the refrigerator closed; and never run a generator indoors or plug one into a wall outlet.
Sewer, stormwater, and garbage: the City of Tacoma side
Here’s the wrinkle that trips up a lot of residents. Your TPU bill also carries solid waste (garbage), recycling, wastewater (sewer), and surface water (stormwater) charges — but those services are run by City of Tacoma Environmental Services, not TPU. TPU just consolidates everything onto one statement for convenience. So for questions about your garbage pickup day, recycling, a sewer backup, or the rate on those line items, call the City of Tacoma at 253-502-2100 (Monday–Friday) or visit the City of Tacoma Environmental Services department; TPU’s own customer service line handles the electric and water side. The TPU Environmental Services billing overview explains how the two agencies share one bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the City of Tacoma Department of Public Utilities?
The City of Tacoma Department of Public Utilities (TPU) is the municipally owned utility that provides electric power (Tacoma Power), water (Tacoma Water), and rail service (Tacoma Rail) to Tacoma and parts of Pierce County. It also consolidates City of Tacoma Environmental Services charges — sewer, stormwater, solid waste, and recycling — onto a single monthly bill. Learn more at mytpu.org.
How do I pay my Tacoma Public Utilities bill?
The easiest way is online through the MyAccount portal using a card or bank transfer. You can also pay by phone (residential card payments at 253-502-8608), by mail, at a Pay Box in participating Pierce County grocery stores, or in person at 3628 S. 35th St., Tacoma. See Ways to Pay for all options.
How do I check a City of Tacoma power outage?
Use the real-time Tacoma Power outage map to see active outages and restoration estimates — the status updates continuously, so always check it live rather than relying on a printed figure. To report an outage, call the dedicated outage line 253-502-8602, use MyAccount, or text “OUT” to 50419 if enrolled in alerts.
What is the Tacoma Public Utilities customer service phone number?
TPU customer service is 253-502-8600 (toll-free 800-752-6745), available Monday through Friday; check the official customer service page for current hours. Residential customers can pay by phone at 253-502-8608, and the dedicated power-outage line is 253-502-8602. For sewer, stormwater, solid waste, or recycling charges on your bill, call City of Tacoma Environmental Services at 253-502-2100.
How much does electricity cost in Tacoma?
Tacoma Power is publicly owned and hydropower-heavy, so its rates have historically run below the national average. New rates took effect April 1, 2026, with TPU citing an average residential increase of about $7.09 per month. For the exact current basic charge and per-kWh energy rate, check the official Power Rates Schedule.