Frequently Asked Questions

Easley Combined Utilities’ office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, except holidays. ECU observes the following holiday schedule:

• New Year’s Day

• Martin Luther King Day

• Good Friday

• Memorial Day

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving Day (2 Days)

• Christmas (2 Days).

Easley Combined Utilities offers several options to pay your bill. You can mail your payment, drop it in the night-drop box, use our new drive-thru kiosk at our office, pay by credit card, have your account drafted each month, or pay in our office at 110 Peachtree Street. We also take payments over the phone through our IVR System, on our website, or use the SmartHub app available on Apple and Android devices. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. You can also pay by phone using our automated pay by phone system at 1-855-939-3817.

Your bill contains two components- a fixed charge and a variable charge. The fixed portion (listed on the Rate Schedule) as Basic Facilities Charge for electric and Minimum Charge for water and sewer, is charged monthly regardless of your usage. The variable portion (listed on the Rate Schedule) as Energy Charge for electric and Volume Charge for water and sewer, is calculated based on your usage. Your total charges for that service should be the sum of the fixed and variable components, and listed on your monthly bill. If your service location is located within city limits, a municipal fee of 5% is calculated based on all utility revenue. This municipal fee is listed separately on your monthly bill.

If you need further assistance in calculating your bill, please contact our billing department at (864) 859-4013 or by email billing@easleyutilities.com.

There are several reasons why your utility bill may have increased. The first place to look is at the usage of each utility since the last month.

If your electric usage has increased, you will want to consider if it has been an extremely hot or cool month. Your heating and air system has to work hard when temperatures are extreme. Make sure to keep your thermostat set on 68 in winter months and 78 in summer months. Check all appliances to make sure they are running efficiently. A simple defect can cause an appliance to run all the time instead of cycling on and off when needed. Lack of Insulation and poorly sealed windows and doors may also play a part in high electric usage.

Click here to find out How Much Does My Electricity Use Cost?

If your water usage has increased, you may have a water leak. Toilet leaks are one of the most common sources of leaks wasting hundreds of gallons a day if left undetected. Follow this simple step to check for a leaky toilet: Remove the tank cover and add a couple of drops of food coloring to the tank. Wait at least 30 minutes. If the colored water appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Water leaks can also develop in the home’s water service line. If you see wet spots in your yard between the meter and your house, this could be a sign of a problem. Check for water under your house or in your basement too.

If you notice an increase in both your water and electric usage, your hot water heater could be the culprit. Bad elements or an excess amount of buildup of sediment in the tank will cause the water heater to use more energy to maintain the tank temperature. Make sure that the thermostat is set at a reasonable temperature to reduce energy use. The Energy Department recommends 120. And if it’s leaking, that’s more water to fill the tank. Check plumbing fittings for any obvious visual leaks. If the leak is internal, water will most likely been seen at the bottom of the tank.

If you are unable to pay your utility bill, please call customer service at 864-859-4013 and request an extension on your account to avoid disconnection. There are several local non-profit agencies that may offer emergency payment assistance.

Budget Billing payments must be made by the due date to avoid being disconnected for non-payment and potentially being removed from Budget Billing. Your account will be subject to a 4% penalty, as applied to all other customer, if payment is not received by the due date.

No. Budget Billing is designed to help customers predetermine their monthly payment so you know how much to budget for each month.

No. You still have to make your monthly Budget Billing payment regardless of a credit balance.

No. The City of Easley pays ECU for the installation of Christmas lights. The energy to burn the lights is small, however, this energy is taken into account in our operational and financial planning and no costs are added to the bills in December and January to pay for Christmas lights.

Yes. For opt-out options and pricing, please contact customer service @ (864) 859-4013 or customerservice@easleyutilities.com.

At this time we do not offer rebates.

New residential customers to Easley Combined Utilities have the choice to apply for service via the phone at 864-859-4013 or in person at our office located at 110 Peachtree Street, Easley SC. We first verify your identity by obtaining personal information about you and entering it into Online Utility Exchange. Based on the results from the report, you may then be required to submit a copy of your driver’s license and social security card. These documents along with a completed Residential Application form may be submitted by fax at 864-644-8156, mailed to PO Box 619 Easley, SC 29641, emailed to customerservice@easleyutilities.com or dropped off at our office.

To sign up for business service, please contact our office at 864-859-4013.

Deposits are based on an estimation of two months highest utility bills from the prior occupant of the building. If the business is in a new building, the deposit is based on a building of similar structure. The customer service manager uses best professional judgement when determining deposits for businesses.

To report an outage, please call our main phone number at 864-859-4013 and select option 1. You will be directed to our automated system. You can also report an outage using SmartHub 24/7/365.

Unless the damages are caused by negligence on the part of ECU, the homeowner is responsible. When the damage is caused by an act of nature – such as storms, wind or lightning, or animals – Easley Combined Utilities is not responsible. Please check with your insurance company to see if these types of losses are covered by your policy.

If you believe ECU was involved in a negligent act that caused damage to your property, please call customer service at 864-859-4013. Submittal of a claim is not a guarantee of payment.

If you are unsure whether Easley Combined Utilities services your residence or place of business, contact our office at 864-859-4013 or email us at customerservice@easleyutilities.com.

We do not share your personal information with anyone. To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings. We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization.

Easley Combined Utilities is governed by a board of three elected officials. The Commission of Easley Combined Utilities meets every second Monday of each month unless otherwise noted.

The Commission of Public Works (“Easley Combined Utilities” or the “Commission”) is the governing body of the Utility that was established by State law. The Commission approves all major operating procedures, expenditures, capital improvements and has full authority over setting rates and charges. The Commission makes recommendations to the City Council for the issuance of revenue bonds to finance improvements to the Utility, but is otherwise authorized under State law to have full control and management of the Utility. Easley Combined Utilities collects a 5% municipal fee set by the City of Easley (the “City”) each month from customers who reside inside the city limits. This fee is listed as a line item on your utility bill and is passed along to the City on a monthly basis.

The municipal fee is a payment remitted to the City of Easley that equates to 5% of all electric, water, and sewer sales received by ECU from customers located within the city limits. This fee is collected by ECU and forwarded to the City of Easley. The municipal fee is similar to a franchise fee that an investor owned utility pays to a city in which it operates.

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Please note that Easley Combined Utilities does not promote one contractor over the other.