San Marcos, Texas | SMTX Utilities Customer Guide
Pay Your San Marcos Water Bill, Sign In or Contact Utility Customer Service
Need to pay your water bill, check your account balance, start service or report a water emergency? The City of San Marcos operates Customer Connect for utility payments and account management. This guide explains where to go, what information you need and how to resolve common billing problems.
Select option 3
San Marcos, TX 78666
8 AM–5 PM, excluding holidays
How to Pay a San Marcos Water Utility Bill Online
San Marcos Customer Connect supports one-time payments and registered accounts. Customers can pay using supported credit or debit cards and checking or savings accounts.
- Open the official payment portal. Go to San Marcos Customer Connect.
- Choose the payment option. Select the one-time payment option if you do not want to register, or sign in to your existing account.
- Enter the required details. For the payment lookup, provide your utility account number and mailing ZIP code as recorded on your account.
- Check your balance. Confirm the service address, account information and amount you intend to pay.
- Choose a payment method. Follow the portal instructions for the available card or electronic bank payment options.
- Review and authorize the payment. Check the transaction details, submit the payment and save your confirmation.
Customer Connect Login, Registration and Password Recovery
The City of San Marcos provides Customer Connect for checking utility consumption, paying bills and managing account preferences.
Register for a New Online Account
- Visit Customer Connect.
- Select New User or Register Now.
- Enter the requested registration information.
- Provide your utility account number and mailing ZIP code when required.
- Check your email for the activation message.
- Open the activation link to complete registration.
- Return to Customer Connect and sign in.
If you just opened a new utility account, your account number may not be available until your first bill arrives. Contact customer service if you need help registering before then.
Forgot Your Username or Password?
Open Customer Connect and select Forgot Username or Forgot Password. Enter the email address or username associated with your account and follow the instructions sent by email.
For login assistance, call 512-393-8383, select option 3, or email utility_billing@sanmarcostx.gov.
Useful Customer Connect Features
- Make one-time payments or enroll in automatic payments.
- View previous bills and payment history.
- Review water and electric consumption.
- Switch to electronic utility statements.
- Set notifications when usage reaches selected thresholds.
- Submit eligible account and service requests.
Other Ways to Pay San Marcos Utility Bills
| Payment Option | Details | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Customer Connect | One-time payments or recurring payments. |
| Automated phone | 512-393-8333 | Electronic check, Visa, Mastercard or Discover. |
| In person | 1040 Highway 123, San Marcos | Walk-in lobby and drive-through during business hours. |
| By mail | 636 E Hopkins, San Marcos, TX 78666 | Allow enough time for delivery and processing. |
| Night drop box | 630 E Hopkins or 1040 Highway 123 | Do not leave cash in drop boxes. |
| H-E-B Convenience Pay | 641 E Hopkins St. or 200 W Hopkins St. | $1 cash service fee; account credited next business day. |
For H-E-B payments, bring your billing statement. The city lists cash, checks and money orders as accepted through the Western Union Convenience Pay service at these locations.
Set Up Automatic Payments
- Sign in at Customer Connect.
- Open the available automatic payment enrollment option.
- Choose a supported bank account or payment card.
- Review the recurring payment authorization and submit it.
- Check that auto-pay is active before your next bill becomes due.
Automatic payments are scheduled for the account due date. If an automatic payment is declined, the city will not rerun it for that billing cycle. You must pay that bill separately. Two declined automatic payments within a year can result in removal from the program.
San Marcos Utility Billing Dates and 2026 Rate Changes
The city bills utility accounts monthly using four billing cycles. Your cycle depends on your service location.
| Billing Cycle | Regular Bill Date | Due Date | Scheduled Disconnection Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cycle 1 | 16th | 3rd of next month | 14th of next month |
| Cycle 2 | 24th | 11th of next month | 21st of next month |
| Cycle 3 | 1st | 18th | 28th |
| Cycle 4 | 8th | 25th | 4th of next month |
Dates can shift when weekends or city holidays affect billing operations. The specific due date on your statement controls your payment planning.
Important 2026 update: The City of San Marcos implemented new utility rates effective October 1, 2026, including water, wastewater, stormwater, electric and certain solid-waste services.
If your bill increased, compare the applicable new rate with your actual usage rather than assuming the increase came entirely from water consumption.
See the official utility rates and billing cycles and the city’s October 2026 rate announcement.
How to Start Water Service in San Marcos
San Marcos residents may receive water, wastewater, electricity, trash and recycling services through the city’s utility account. Your bill includes the city services applicable to your address.
- Visit the official service request page. Open Start, Stop or Transfer Services.
- Choose online or in-person service. Online connection requests are available through Customer Connect.
- Enter the new service address. Provide the property where utilities need to be connected.
- Choose a requested connection date. Connections are performed on business days, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
- Provide identification and contact information. The city’s online application requests identification details, telephone number and other required identity information.
- Pay the appropriate deposit. Deposit requirements depend on your account and eligibility for a waiver.
- Confirm the request. Save any confirmation and make sure the connection date is accepted.
You can also apply in person at 1040 Highway 123 during office hours. Bring a photo ID and payment for any required deposit.
Can the Utility Deposit Be Waived?
The city provides deposit-waiver options for qualifying customers. A letter of credit from a previous utility may qualify if it documents 12 bills paid on time, without insufficient-funds payments or disconnections.
Active-duty U.S. military personnel and eligible honorably separated veterans may also qualify under the city’s military deposit-waiver rules. Supporting documentation and other conditions apply.
Contact 512-393-8383 to confirm eligibility and the current deposit amount before submitting your request.
Transfer or Stop Your Utility Service
Moving to Another San Marcos Address
If you already have Customer Connect, sign in and submit a transfer request. Provide your old service address, new service address, requested disconnection and connection dates, and contact number.
Without a Customer Connect account, the city requires an in-person transfer request at the Utility Billing Office. Customers must complete the move-out and move-in forms.
Deposit detail: Deposits do not transfer between service locations. A deposit from the old address is applied to the final bill, while the new account may require another deposit.
Closing Your Account
Use the official stop service instructions or Customer Connect.
Prepare the closing date and forwarding address. The city allows the account holder to request disconnection online, in person or through specified written submission methods.
The city does not accept telephone requests to close utility accounts. Regular service disconnections occur on business days, excluding holidays.
High Water Bill? Check Usage Before Requesting Help
San Marcos has a useful feature that many residents overlook: Customer Connect can help track water usage and send alerts when consumption reaches chosen levels.
Set a Water Usage Alert
- Log in to Customer Connect.
- Find the Service Order tab.
- Choose the utility usage threshold notification option.
- Select a daily or monthly water consumption threshold.
- Save your preference and review the notification settings.
The city lists daily water alert thresholds of 150, 250, 350, 1,500 and 20,000 gallons, along with monthly options of 5,000, 7,500 and 9,999 gallons.
For a household trying to find an unusual increase, compare recent daily consumption with typical usage before changing the alert threshold.
Practical Checks for an Unexpected Bill
- Inspect toilets that continue running after flushing.
- Check irrigation schedules and leaking sprinkler heads.
- Compare current water consumption with previous months.
- Check whether new October 2026 rates affected the bill.
- Review electric, wastewater, drainage and refuse charges separately.
- Contact billing if usage or charges remain unexplained.
In the San Marcos area, irrigation use can make a substantial difference during hot and dry periods. The city’s utility website displayed Stage 3 drought restrictions at the time of this review. Check the latest restrictions before watering lawns or operating sprinklers.
Water Emergencies, Leaks and Sewer Problems
Use the appropriate utility contact rather than the billing phone number when you need urgent technical assistance.
Water outages, visible main leaks, sewer problems and water quality concerns.
Electric and water/wastewater utility operations.
If sewage is backing up indoors, avoid contact with contaminated water and keep children and pets away. Report the problem promptly and explain whether it appears connected to the public sewer main.
For water supply interruptions, provide the location, time the problem began and whether other nearby properties are affected.
For billing or reconnection after nonpayment, use 512-393-8383 instead.
San Marcos Water Billing Office and Local Payment Locations
City of San Marcos Utility Customer Services
1040 Highway 123 (Seguin Highway)
San Marcos, TX 78666
Billing phone: 512-393-8383, option 3
Automated payment: 512-393-8333
Email: utility_billing@sanmarcostx.gov
Fax: 855-759-2835
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 AM–5 PM, excluding city holidays.
Get directions to the billing office →
Mail Your Payment
City of San Marcos
636 E Hopkins
San Marcos, TX 78666
Include the correct account information and mail early enough for processing before the due date.
San Marcos, Texas or San Marcos, California?
This guide covers the City of San Marcos, Texas, in Hays County. If your property is in San Marcos, California, do not use the Texas Customer Connect portal.
In California, water and sewer services are handled by local districts depending on the property address, including Vallecitos Water District, Vista Irrigation District and Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District.
Use the City of San Marcos, California Public Works directory to identify the appropriate service provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I pay my San Marcos Texas water bill?
Pay through Customer Connect, the city’s official utility payment portal. One-time and automatic payment options are available.
What is the San Marcos utility billing phone number?
Call 512-393-8383 and choose option 3 for customer service. The automated bill payment number is 512-393-8333.
Can I pay without registering?
Yes. Customer Connect offers a one-time payment route using the required utility account information.
What information do I need to register for Customer Connect?
Prepare your utility account number, mailing ZIP code, email address and the other information requested by the registration page.
Can I pay my water bill at H-E-B?
The city lists Western Union Convenience Pay locations at 641 E Hopkins Street and 200 W Hopkins Street. Bring your utility statement. The published cash service fee is $1 and credits are applied the next business day.
Will an online payment restore disconnected water service?
No. The official payment portal instructs customers with utilities interrupted for nonpayment to contact Utility Customer Services at 512-393-8383. Online or automated phone payments cannot be used for restoration.
Can I open a San Marcos utility account by telephone?
No. The city accepts new utility connection requests online, in person and by approved mailed submission methods, but not by telephone.
Are water and electric charges on the same bill?
The city combines applicable electric, water, wastewater and residential curbside service charges into the customer’s utility account. Services vary by address.
Who do I call for a water main break?
Call 512-393-8010 for water and sewer problems, including water outages, water leaks and sewer issues.
Did San Marcos utility rates increase in October 2026?
Yes. The city announced new rates effective October 1, 2026, affecting water, wastewater, electric, stormwater and certain solid-waste services. Review the official rates page for the applicable charges.