## Public Utilities
Seattle's utility landscape combines city-owned services with regional and investor-owned infrastructure.
### Main Providers
| Service | Primary provider(s) | Notes | |---|---|---| | Electricity | **Seattle City Light** | Publicly owned electric utility serving Seattle and nearby areas. | | Drinking water | **Seattle Public Utilities** | Water utility for Seattle; supply originates largely from protected watersheds in the Cascade foothills. | | Sewer/stormwater | **Seattle Public Utilities** | Manages wastewater and drainage systems within the city framework. | | Solid waste/recycling/compost | **Seattle Public Utilities** with contracted collection | Seattle is widely noted for organics collection and recycling programs. | | Natural gas | **Puget Sound Energy** | Common gas utility in the region. | | Public transit | **King County Metro**, **Sound Transit**, **Seattle Streetcar**, **Washington State Ferries** | Not a utility in the narrow sense, but core public service infrastructure. | | Telecommunications | Multiple private providers | Broadband and mobile service are provided by private companies. |
### Utility Characteristics
- **Electric power:** Seattle City Light is known nationally for substantial hydroelectric resources in its portfolio. - **Water supply:** Seattle draws water from highly protected watershed systems, which contributes to generally strong source-water protection. - **Waste services:** The city has long emphasized composting, recycling, and waste diversion. - **Stormwater management:** Because of hills, waterways, and heavy seasonal rainfall, drainage and combined sewer overflow mitigation remain important infrastructure issues.
### Common Resident Services
- Start/stop utility accounts through city portals - Garbage, recycling, and food/yard waste collection schedules - Water quality reports - Streetlight and power outage reporting - Sewer backup and drainage issue reporting - Energy-efficiency and weatherization programs
### Resilience and Reliability
Seattle utilities face ongoing planning needs related to:
- Earthquake preparedness - Climate impacts on water supply and heat events - Grid modernization and electrification - Aging pipes and underground infrastructure - Coastal and flood resilience in parts of the metro area