Settling in
Utilities & home services, the local list.
Moving in means setting up the practical stuff: power, water, internet, trash pickup. Here are the local companies I point my clients to across Lake, Porter and Newton Counties. Serve areas vary by exact address, so always confirm service at the property before you count on it.
Electric & gas
Power and heat, sorted.
Most of Northwest Indiana is served by NIPSCO, with member-owned cooperatives covering big rural stretches. Which one is yours depends on your exact address.
NIPSCO
Gas and electric for most of Northwest Indiana. The first call most new homeowners make.
Kankakee Valley REMC
A member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Wanatah, serving rural areas of Lake and Porter counties (and neighbors).
Newton County REMC
A member-owned electric cooperative serving the southern three-quarters of Newton County, plus parts of Jasper and Benton Counties. Headquartered in Goodland.
Some towns run their own utilities
A few towns run their own electric or water utilities, so the answer depends on your address. Valparaiso, for example, runs its own water, sewer and stormwater through Valparaiso City Utilities; electricity there comes from NIPSCO. When you have an address picked out, confirm exactly what it is connected to.
Water & sewer
Water, sewer and who to call.
Water and sewer are usually run by the city or town you buy in, which makes the answer simple once you know the town. A few regional providers cover the rural stretches.
City of Crown Point
Water, sewer, trash and recycling questions. The Clerk-Treasurer’s office at City Hall handles billing and payments.
- 101 N East Street, Crown Point
- Phone 219-662-3235
Crown Point Utilities
The Utilities Department handles water, sewer and stormwater operations for Crown Point.
Newton County Regional Water & Sewer District
Serves rural, unincorporated parts of Newton County. Offices are in Brook.
Indiana American Water
Serves many Northwest Indiana communities across Lake and Porter Counties, including Crown Point, Chesterton, Gary, Hobart, Merrillville, Portage, Schererville and parts of Valparaiso. Check availability by address.
A note for rural buyers
Rural customers sometimes use private wells and septic systems instead of city water and sewer. If that is the case, your inspection will cover the well and septic, and your agent will help you understand what to look for. It is common in Newton County and the country stretches of Lake and Porter, and it is nothing to be nervous about, just something to know.
Trash & recycling
Who picks up the cans.
Trash and recycling are often town-contracted or handled by private haulers, so the answer varies by town and by HOA. Crown Point, for example, contracts with Republic Services. The fastest way to know your pickup day is a quick call to your city or town hall, or your HOA if you have one.
- Republic Services and Waste Management are the big private haulers in the region.
- Recycling rules and pickup days vary by contract, so confirm with your town or HOA.
- Some towns bill trash and recycling right on the utility bill, which keeps it simple.
The short version
Varies by town and HOA. Confirm with your city or town hall, or your HOA. That one phone call answers pickup day, recycling rules and bulk pickup, all at once.
Internet, TV & phone
Get connected.
Fiber in the towns, cable nearly everywhere, and satellite or fixed wireless in the country. Availability is address-specific, so check before you commit.
Xfinity (Comcast)
Cable internet and TV service across much of the region. Check address availability.
Verizon
Wireless and home internet options. Check address availability.
Surf Internet
Gigabit fiber in Valparaiso, Portage, Schererville and growing across Northwest Indiana.
Rural internet
Rural areas may rely on satellite or fixed wireless internet, and coverage is improving all the time. When you have an address, check availability with each provider, and ask neighbors what actually works at that address. Neighbors are the best coverage map there is.
Propane & heating
Heat for the country homes.
Rural homes often run on propane instead of natural gas, which means a tank on the property and a delivery relationship with a propane company. National providers like AmeriGas, Ferrellgas or Suburban Propane can deliver in many areas, and local companies are worth asking about too. Availability varies by address, so confirm with the provider.
Propane providers
- AmeriGas
- Ferrellgas
- Suburban Propane
Ask about tank ownership, delivery schedules and autofill programs when you call. The right setup means you never think about it again.
Three things to remember
The small print, in plain English.
Call 811 before you dig
Any digging, even a small project, can hit a buried utility line. Call 811 a few days ahead and the utilities get marked for free. It takes minutes and it can save a very bad day.
Help with your NIPSCO bill
NIPSCO offers income-eligible payment assistance. If your budget is tight, ask about it when you set up service. It is worth the question.
Confirm at your address
Every provider here serves specific areas, and exact service varies street by street. Always confirm service at the property before you count on it.
Still have questions?
I'll help you get settled.
Every address is different, and I have walked enough clients through setup to know exactly who to call next. Ask me anything, whether you are buying, selling, or just moving across town.