Southern Maryland Utilities Setup Guide — Prince George's County & Charles County

Moving to Prince George's County or Charles County, Maryland? This guide covers all the utility providers you'll need to contact for your new home — electricity, gas, water, internet, trash, and more. Note that the electric provider differs significantly between PG County (Pepco) and Charles County (SMECO), so be sure to read the correct section for your area.

Prince George's County Utilities

Service Area: Upper Marlboro, Bowie, College Park, Hyattsville, Greenbelt, Laurel, and surrounding communities. All utilities below service Prince George's County.

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Electric — Pepco

(202) 833-7500 pepco.com
Pepco serves Prince George's County. Maryland is deregulated — shop for a retail supplier at psc.state.md.us. Pepco remains the distribution company regardless of your supplier choice.
Visit Pepco
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Natural Gas — Washington Gas

(800) 752-7520 washingtongas.com
Available in most PG County communities. Rural or older areas may use propane instead. Contact Washington Gas to set up service before move-in.
Visit Washington Gas
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Water & Sewer — WSSC Water

(301) 206-4001 wsscwater.com
WSSC serves all of Prince George's County. Contact WSSC to establish service at your new address. Bills are issued quarterly.
Visit WSSC Water
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Internet — Xfinity (Comcast)

(855) 399-1542 xfinity.com
Cable internet available throughout Prince George's County. Reliable service and competitive pricing with bundle options.
Visit Xfinity
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Internet — Verizon

(800) 335-2671 verizon.com
Available in parts of PG County. Check availability at your specific address. Fios fiber is available in select communities.
Check Verizon
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Trash & Recycling — PG County

(301) 883-5500 princegeorgescountymd.gov
Weekly curbside collection in most areas. Some homes use private haulers. Contact PG County Solid Waste to confirm your collection day.
Waste Services

Charles County Utilities

Service Area: Waldorf, La Plata, Leonardtown, and surrounding communities. Charles County utilities differ from Prince George's County, especially for electric service.

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Electric — SMECO

(888) 440-3311 smeco.coop
SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative) is a member-owned electric cooperative serving Charles County and surrounding areas. Contact SMECO to start service. Unlike investor-owned utilities, SMECO distributes capital credits back to members annually.
Visit SMECO
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Natural Gas — Washington Gas

(800) 752-7520 washingtongas.com
Available in Waldorf and La Plata. More rural areas of Charles County typically use propane — contact local suppliers such as AmeriGas or Ferrellgas.
Visit Washington Gas
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Water & Sewer — Charles County

(301) 932-3470 charlescountymd.gov
Charles County Department of Utilities serves most developed areas. Rural areas may use well water and septic systems — confirm with your real estate agent before purchase.
Visit Charles County
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Internet — Xfinity (Comcast)

(855) 399-1542 xfinity.com
Cable internet available in Waldorf and more developed areas. Check availability at your address. Rural coverage is more limited than in urban areas.
Visit Xfinity
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Internet — T-Mobile Home

(646) 545-0399 t-mobile.com
Fixed wireless internet available in rural Charles County. Good option where fiber and cable aren't available. Check coverage at your address.
Check T-Mobile
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Internet — Starlink (Rural)

starlink.com
Satellite internet for rural areas where broadband infrastructure is limited. Reliable option for remote Charles County homes. Equipment and installation required.
Visit Starlink
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Trash & Recycling — Charles County

(301) 934-5403 charlescountymd.gov
Weekly curbside collection in most developed areas. Rural properties may require private hauling. Contact the county to confirm your collection day.
Waste Services

Available Across Both Counties

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Cable TV — Xfinity

xfinity.com
Cable TV and streaming bundles available throughout Southern Maryland. Bundle with internet for additional savings.
View Plans
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Satellite TV — DirecTV

directv.com
Excellent option for rural areas where cable infrastructure is limited. Available throughout Charles County and PG County.
Visit DirecTV
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Mobile Phone — All Carriers

AT&T | Verizon | T-Mobile
All three major carriers provide solid coverage. Verizon tends to have the best rural coverage in Charles County.
Compare Plans

Before You Move In — Your Utility Setup Checklist

  • Contact your electric provider (Pepco for PG County or SMECO for Charles County) to start service before move-in
  • Contact Washington Gas if your home has gas appliances (or confirm propane setup in rural areas)
  • Contact WSSC Water (PG County) or Charles County Utilities (Charles County) to transfer water service
  • Set up internet installation 1–2 weeks in advance
  • Confirm trash pickup schedule with your county
  • Update USPS address at usps.com/move
  • Get Maryland driver's license within 60 days — mva.maryland.gov
  • Register vehicle with Maryland MVA — mva.maryland.gov
  • Register to vote in Maryland — elections.maryland.gov
  • If moving to rural Charles County: confirm well water quality test and septic inspection were completed before purchase
Search PG County Listings Search Waldorf Listings Relocating to Southern Maryland View Montgomery County Guide