Hornell Utilities: Water, Trash, NYSEG and Internet

Last reviewed: October 22, 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. City rates and billing dates come from the City of Hornell Chamberlain’s Office page as posted in October 2026; state rules come from the NYS Department of Public Service. Rates change, so confirm with the office named before you rely on a number.

Moving into Hornell means setting up a short list of services, and they don’t all come from the same place. The city bills water and garbage. NYSEG delivers electricity and, on most city streets, natural gas. Internet is a private market with a state-mandated low-income option. And if you buy just outside the city line, some of those services change or disappear.

This guide walks through who provides what, what the City of Hornell actually charges for water and trash, when those bills arrive, what New York’s utility rules say about deposits and shutoffs, how energy supply shopping works, and the help that exists for lower-income households. It is part of our Heating & Utility Costs and Moving Checklist sections. New to the site? Start with Start Here.

Who provides what in Hornell

Service	Inside the City of Hornell	Who to contact
Water	Hornell Water Department (city-owned)	City Chamberlain’s Office, City Hall, (607) 324-7421
Sewer	City Water Pollution Control Plant	City Chamberlain’s Office for billing
Garbage and recycling	City contract service, billed once a year	City Chamberlain’s Office; DPW for collection questions
Electricity	NYSEG (Hornell Division)	NYSEG
Natural gas	NYSEG, where gas lines run	NYSEG
Internet	Private providers	Check the PSC broadband map

The Chamberlain’s Office, on the first floor of City Hall at 82 Main Street, issues and collects city, school, and county taxes, plus ambulance, water, garbage, and sewer bills. Its posted hours are 8:00 to 4:00 from September through May and 8:30 to 4:00 from June through August.

City water: rates and billing dates

The Chamberlain’s page says the Hornell Water Department serves customers in the City of Hornell, the Village of North Hornell, and parts of the Town of Hornellsville. How you’re billed depends on where you are.

Homes inside the city

Residential units inside the city are not metered. Each unit is charged a flat $178.00 twice a year, plus a $9.50 surcharge and a $14.50 Chesapeake Bay Watershed surcharge on each bill. At the posted rates, that works out to $202 per bill, or $404 a year per residential unit. If you buy a two-family house, expect a charge for each unit.

The billing schedule:

First bill: comes out April 1, due by April 30.
Second bill: mailed for delivery on or about September 2, due by October 31.

Commercial and industrial accounts inside the city are metered and billed quarterly: a $90.00 base rate for the first 10,000 gallons, $4.35 per thousand gallons from 10,001 to 50,000, and $2.40 per thousand over that, plus a $7.25 Chesapeake Bay charge and a $4.75 surcharge.

North Hornell and the Town of Hornellsville

Customers in the Village of North Hornell and the Town of Hornellsville are metered and billed quarterly at different rates. The Chamberlain’s page lists, for both, a $137.00 base rate (covering the first 22,500 gallons in North Hornell and the first 10,000 gallons in Hornellsville), then $13.67 per thousand gallons up to 50,000 and $7.23 per thousand above that, plus the same $7.25 Chesapeake Bay charge and $4.75 surcharge.

Why there’s a Chesapeake Bay charge

Hornell’s treated wastewater is discharged to the Canisteo River under a state discharge permit (NY0023647), according to the city’s Water Pollution Control Plant page, and the plant’s staff have worked with DEC on studying wastewater nutrient pollution reaching the Chesapeake Bay. The Canisteo is part of the Susquehanna River system, which drains to the Bay. The surcharge shows up on every city water bill.

Where the water comes from

According to the city’s Water Treatment Plant page, Hornell’s water comes from three upland reservoirs owned by the Water Department, with a supplementary supply from two wells. The plant treats it with aeration, sedimentation and clarification, sand filtration, and chlorination. The city publishes an Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, linked from that page, and you can read it before you move in.

Garbage and recycling

The city bills a Solid Waste Disposal surcharge of $105.00 per unit, once a year. Bills are mailed July 1 and due July 31 without penalty. The fee includes recycling pickup. Recyclables are collected once a month during the third full week of the month (the week that includes the 21st), and you don’t need to sort them. The Chamberlain’s page notes that water and garbage/waste disposal are a combined package of city services.

The Department of Public Works says it provides weekly citywide refuse collection for slightly fewer than 4,000 households. When the Common Council raised the fee from $95 to $105 in the 2025-26 budget, the city said it covers pickup of five 30-gallon bags and occasional large items, and that many surrounding municipalities don’t provide garbage service at all and require residents to hire private haulers. If you’re buying outside the city, ask the seller who they use and what it costs.

A city bill calendar for new owners

The Chamberlain’s page publishes this schedule for city residents:

Month	Bill
January	County tax (due January 31)
April	Water (due April 30)
May	City tax (due May 31)
July	Solid waste charge (due July 31)
September	Water (due October 31)
October	School tax (due October 31)

Property taxes are their own topic; our Hornell property taxes and assessments guide explains rates, assessments, and STAR.

Before you close: order a tax search

The Chamberlain’s Office offers a tax search for $10.00 per parcel. It covers present and delinquent city, school, and county taxes plus water and solid waste charges. Copies of bills or receipts are $5.00 per parcel per year. Because water and garbage charges are tracked by parcel, it’s worth confirming nothing is outstanding before closing. Your attorney or title company may order this for you; ask. Our older-home buying checklist covers the rest of the closing homework.

Electricity and natural gas: NYSEG

Hornell sits in NYSEG’s Hornell service area, which NYSEG describes as covering parts of Allegany, Wyoming, Steuben, Cattaraugus, Livingston, and Yates counties. A 2025 NYSEG presentation to the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board said the Hornell Division serves about 38,024 electric and 43,124 natural gas customers. NYSEG began replacing meters in the Hornell area with smart meters in 2024, which bill on actual use rather than estimates.

When you move, start service in your name through NYSEG’s website or customer service line. Ask whether the house has gas service and which appliances use it. Some older Hornell homes heat with gas but have an electric water heater, or the reverse, and outside the gas mains, homes use propane, heating oil, wood, or electric heat.

Your rights when you start service (HEFPA)

The Home Energy Fair Practices Act gives residential gas and electric customers specific protections. According to the Department of Public Service:

Start of service. In most situations the utility must provide service within five business days of your application. It can refuse if you owe money on a previous account, unless you pay it, make a payment agreement, have a pending billing complaint, or meet certain other conditions.
Deposits. A utility may require a deposit only if you didn’t pay two or more bills in a row (without paying at least half), had service shut off for nonpayment in the past six months, or are a short-term or seasonal customer. It can’t require one if you receive public assistance or SSI, or if you’re 62 or older (unless you were shut off for nonpayment in the past six months). A deposit can’t be more than twice the average monthly bill (or twice the average heating-season bill for heating customers), can usually be paid over 12 months, earns interest, and is refunded after a year of on-time payment.
Late charges. If a bill is still unpaid 20 days after it was due, the utility can add a late charge of 1.5% per month on the unpaid balance.
Balanced billing. Utilities offer levelized plans that even out high winter bills over the year. It doesn’t lower your total cost, but it helps with budgeting.
Cold-weather protections. From November 1 to April 15, utilities must take extra steps before shutting off heat-related service. Our Hornell winter guide covers those protections and HEAP dates.
Third-party notices. You can name a relative or friend to receive copies of shutoff notices for your account, which is useful for older parents living alone.

If your utility doesn’t resolve a problem, the DPS Helpline is 1-800-342-3377.

Renters and two-family houses

If you rent in a two-family house or apartment building and the landlord doesn’t pay a building utility bill, HEFPA requires the utility to notify tenants before disconnecting, with at least 30 days’ notice for heat-related service between November 1 and April 15. DPS says tenants can pay current utility bills directly and deduct those payments from rent, which state law allows.

Shopping for energy supply (ESCOs)

Your NYSEG bill has two parts: delivery, which always goes to NYSEG, and supply, which you can buy from NYSEG or from an energy service company (ESCO). If someone knocks on your door or calls offering a “better rate,” know the rules DPS publishes:

A variable-rate ESCO product must guarantee savings compared with what you’d have paid NYSEG, checked at least once a year, with a credit or refund if it charged more.
A fixed-rate product can’t cost more than the utility’s trailing 12-month average supply rate plus a premium of no more than 5%.
Renewable products and HVAC or plumbing warranty add-ons are exceptions, with no price cap or savings guarantee.
Residential customers can cancel within three days of receiving the agreement without penalty, and an ESCO must give at least 30 days’ notice before a contract renews. Check for an early termination fee before you sign.

Help with utility costs

Energy Affordability Program (EAP). NYSEG gives monthly bill credits to eligible customers. According to NYSEG’s October 2026 fact sheet, if you receive a HEAP grant on your active NYSEG account, you’re automatically enrolled for 18 months. Households on SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, TANF, Safety Net Assistance, a veterans disability or survivors pension, federal public housing assistance, Lifeline, and certain other programs can apply with proof of benefits. EAP customers are enrolled in budget billing and referred to NYSERDA’s EmPower+ for no-cost energy services.
HEAP. The state’s heating assistance program opens each fall. Our winter guide has this season’s dates.
EmPower+. NYSERDA’s program for income-eligible households can cover energy audits, insulation, and some heating and electrical upgrades through participating contractors.

Internet and phone

Hornell’s internet options depend on the street, so check before you sign a lease or a contract:

The NYS Public Service Commission’s broadband map shows reported providers and speeds by address and now lets you filter for reduced-cost plans.
Under New York’s Affordable Broadband Act, internet providers with more than 20,000 subscribing households must offer qualifying low-income households either service of at least 25 Mbps for no more than $15 a month or 200 Mbps for no more than $20 a month, with no extra fees or required bundles. Some smaller providers are exempt. For help enrolling, the state’s ConnectALL office says to call 211.

Outside the city line

If you buy in the Town of Hornellsville, Canisteo, Arkport, Fremont, or another nearby town, expect differences:

Water and sewer may be a town water district, a private well, or a septic system. See private wells and septic outside Hornell.
Garbage usually means hiring a private hauler or using a transfer station, since the city’s service and fee don’t apply.
Heating fuel may be propane or heating oil where there’s no gas main. Living on Keuka’s guides to owned vs. leased propane tanks and heating oil tanks apply anywhere in the region.
Before digging for a fence, mailbox post, or garden anywhere in New York, call 811 (Dig Safely New York) so buried utility lines can be marked.

A moving-day utility checklist

Two to three weeks out: start NYSEG service in your name, and ask whether the home has gas.
Call the Chamberlain’s Office to make sure city water and garbage billing is set up correctly for your parcel and mailing address.
Order a tax search ($10 per parcel) before closing if your attorney isn’t already doing it.
Check internet availability at the exact address on the PSC broadband map, then call providers.
Put the bill dates on your calendar: water in April and September, solid waste in July, city tax in May, school tax in October, county tax in January.
Look at heating before winter: fuel type, the age of the system, and whether balanced billing makes sense. If an older furnace or boiler needs work, the quote form below reaches local heating pros.
Read the drinking water quality report linked from the city’s Water Treatment Plant page.

Get quotes from local pros

Tell us what you need and we’ll pass your request to up to 3 local businesses who can quote it. Free, no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the water bill in the City of Hornell?

Residential units inside the city are not metered. The Chamberlain’s Office lists a flat $178.00 per unit twice a year, plus a $9.50 surcharge and a $14.50 Chesapeake Bay Watershed surcharge on each bill, or about $404 a year per unit at posted rates. Bills come out April 1 and around September 2.

When is the Hornell garbage bill due?

The city mails the Solid Waste Disposal bill on July 1, and it is due by July 31 without penalty. It is $105.00 per unit per year and includes monthly no-sort recycling pickup during the third full week of the month.

Who provides electricity and natural gas in Hornell?

NYSEG delivers electricity and natural gas in its Hornell service area, which covers parts of Allegany, Wyoming, Steuben, Cattaraugus, Livingston, and Yates counties. You can buy your energy supply from NYSEG or an ESCO, but NYSEG still handles delivery and emergencies.

Can NYSEG make me pay a deposit when I move in?

Only in limited cases under HEFPA: if you missed two or more bills in a row, were shut off for nonpayment in the past six months, or are a short-term or seasonal customer. Customers 62 or older and those on public assistance or SSI generally cannot be charged one. A deposit cannot exceed twice the average monthly bill.

Is there low-cost internet in Hornell?

New York’s Affordable Broadband Act requires internet providers with more than 20,000 subscribing households to offer qualifying low-income households 25 Mbps for no more than $15 a month or 200 Mbps for no more than $20 a month. Some small providers are exempt. Call 211 for help enrolling.

Do homes outside the City of Hornell get city garbage pickup?

The city’s $105 solid waste service covers city units. The city has noted that many surrounding municipalities do not provide garbage service and residents hire private haulers instead. Ask the seller or the town what applies to a specific address.

Official sources

Across the network: Practical Finger Lakes covers winter driving and road access across the region, and Living on Keuka’s heating costs guide compares fuels.

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