Utility rates & providers in Columbia County, FL

Illustrative monthly bill: City of Lake City (Clay Electric Cooperative + Lake City utilities), 1,000 kWh & 5,000 gal — rural wells & FPL pockets differ

Columbia County in North Central Florida is anchored by Lake City, where many in-city households receive electric service from Clay Electric Cooperative—a member-owned distribution cooperative with tariffs distinct from Florida’s large investor-owned utilities.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$221.50

Estimated illustrative monthly utilities for Columbia County are ~$221.50 (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal assumptions). Average water bill estimate in this pattern: ~$33.00/mo at 5,000 gallons.

Lake City is Columbia County’s seat and our dataset anchor. Unincorporated Columbia may use wells, septic, or different electric territory—verify your meter and water provider.

Data freshness: last verified 2026-04-14. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-14.

Illustrative bill — see cards for jurisdiction notes
  • Electric $116.50 (53%)
  • Water $33.00 (15%)
  • Sewer $48.00 (22%)
  • Trash $24.00 (11%)

Utilities here are about 15% lower than the Florida city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In Florida, cooling demand often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • City-provided trash is billed at a monthly fee ($24.00 in our estimate).

Lake City operates municipal water and wastewater for qualifying addresses; our city page models conservative volumetric and base components at 5,000 gallons while noting that the city’s full tier tables should be confirmed with Utility Customer Service.

Fort White and unincorporated areas can differ: cooperative versus IOU meters, private wells, septic systems, and franchise solid waste all change the bill stack. Always match the legal provider names on your statement.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Columbia County—figures are from the county overview below, not copied from a single city page. Jurisdiction notes, narrative, and official sources follow in each card.

Electricity

Estimated

Estimated — Clay Electric Schedule R + illustrative Power Cost Adjustment at 1,000 kWh

Provider (illustrative)
Clay Electric Cooperative
Access charge
$32/mo
Modeled energy + PCA
~$0.0845/kWh all-in placeholder
Assumed usage
1,000 kWh
Estimated monthly
$116.50

Clay bills a monthly access charge, energy, and a Power Cost Adjustment that changes—call Clay or read your bill for the exact PCA.

Clay Electric serves Lake City and surrounding Putnam/Columbia territory with FPSC-filed schedules; compare the cooperative’s summary PDF to your actual bill.

Florida residential customers generally cannot shop alternate wireline electric suppliers—focus on efficiency programs and rate options Clay publishes.

If your address shows a different distributor, use that provider’s tariff instead of this illustration.

Official sources

Water

Estimated

Estimated — Lake City municipal model at 5,000 gal pending full tier PDF

Provider (illustrative)
City of Lake City Utilities
Base + volumetric model
$15/mo + $3.60/1,000 gal
Assumed usage
5,000 gal
Estimated monthly
$33.00

Lake City’s utilities landing page should be cross-checked with the current adopted ordinance or billing insert for meter size and tiers.

Wells outside city limits are common—those parcels are outside this municipal model.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Estimated

Estimated — Lake City tiered wastewater at modeled 5,000 gal

Provider (illustrative)
City of Lake City Utilities
Modeled components
$20/mo base + $5.60/1,000 gal
Estimated monthly
$48.00

Sewer is often tied to metered water use—confirm whether your account is on city sewer or septic.

Commercial and multi-family schedules differ from typical single-family residential modeling.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Estimated

Estimated — Lake City sanitation commonly bundled with utilities

Illustrative monthly
$24.00

Solid waste is frequently billed with Lake City utilities; confirm cart size and recycling surcharges on your statement.

Unincorporated Columbia may use county convenience centers or private subscription—different economics than in-city bundles.

Official sources

Summaries rely on Clay Electric published rate summaries, City of Lake City utility contacts, and Florida PSC cooperative references as of the last verified date. Private wells, septic, alternate electric territories, and non-city addresses require separate research.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Columbia County

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$221.50

County illustrative scenario

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 53% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $8.45.
  • Each additional 1,000 gallons of water adds about $9.20 to your water and sewer bills combined (water ~$3.60 + wastewater ~$5.60).
  • How to save on utility bills in Lake City

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1,000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical bill or PSC comparative statistic; not every meter will match.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Lake City utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Columbia County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Lake City (illustrative pattern)$221.50

More in Florida

Florida utility costsElectric providers in FloridaLake City utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Columbia County. Electric often references Florida Power & Light (FPL) tariff or Florida PSC comparative statistics where applicable; water, sewer, and trash use city, county, or authority rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
In Florida, unincorporated county utility systems, special districts, and municipal utilities can bill very differently—even inside the same county. Trash may be city-contracted, county solid waste, or private subscription. Always match your bill to the provider named on the statement.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. County overview pages include additional sources for unincorporated service areas. Confirm current rates on the provider's or government's website before making decisions.
Cooperative bills include a Power Cost Adjustment and taxes that move monthly. The city page uses a rounded PCA-inclusive placeholder at 1,000 kWh—read your bill’s line items or call Clay for the exact PCA.
Not automatically. Many rural parcels use private wells or small systems. If you are on city utilities, the City of Lake City bills qualifying accounts; otherwise confirm your retail water provider.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Lake City with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.