Utility rates & providers in Cumberland County, NC

Representative example: Fayetteville (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Cumberland County is anchored by Fayetteville (the county seat) and sits in the Cape Fear region adjacent to Fort Liberty. Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) is a major community-owned utility that provides electric, water, wastewater, and natural gas service to a large share of in-city customers under published Service Regulations and Charges; our Fayetteville city page models PWC electric from the utility’s effective residential schedule rather than the Duke Energy Carolinas benchmark used in many other North Carolina cities. Outside Fayetteville’s PWC electric service area, many Cumberland County addresses are served by Duke Energy Progress, an investor-owned utility whose residential rates and riders are reviewed by the North Carolina Utilities Commission—use the legal name on your bill and NCUC/Public Staff materials when comparing neighbors.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$235.32

Modeled for Fayetteville — your address may use different providers. Estimated total ~$235.32; water ~$38.00/mo at 5,000 gal (when that is the city assumption).

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-04. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-12.

Data freshness: 2026-03-04
  • Electric $123.40 (52%)
  • Water $38.00 (16%)
  • Sewer $51.00 (22%)
  • Trash $22.92 (10%)

Utilities here are about 5% lower than the North Carolina city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In North Carolina, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • City-provided trash is billed at a monthly fee ($22.92 in our estimate).

Water and sanitary sewer are split among retail providers. PWC retails water and sewer for much of Fayetteville and also operates regional sanitary sewer systems for several communities and sanitary districts described on PWC’s sewer service materials (for example, Stedman, Kelly Hills, Eastover, and NORCRESS). Separately, Cumberland County Public Utilities administers county-established water and sewer districts in unincorporated areas—such as Kelly Hills, NORCRESS, Overhills Park, Southpoint, and Gray’s Creek—where customers pay the county utility program rather than assuming the same schedule as a Fayetteville address. Solid waste also differs by jurisdiction: the City of Fayetteville funds residential curbside trash and recycling in part through a solid waste fee billed on the annual property tax statement, while Cumberland County Solid Waste Management operates the Ann Street Landfill, convenience centers, and related programs with published policies and fees for many county residents.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Cumberland 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

Confirmed

Confirmed — PWC retail electric (Fayetteville) vs Duke Energy Progress (many non-PWC meters)

Fayetteville PWC distributes retail electricity inside its certified municipal service territory using residential schedules published in its Service Regulations and Charges (basic facilities charges, energy rates, and optional time-of-use components). PWC is not interchangeable with Duke Energy Progress—confirm the distributor named on your bill before applying a typical-bill benchmark from a different utility.

Duke Energy Progress serves many Cumberland County loads where PWC does not, under NCUC-reviewed tariffs; the North Carolina Public Staff publishes a residential typical monthly bill at 1,000 kWh that many shoppers use as a quick Progress benchmark, but effective totals still move with riders, weather, and usage.

Military housing, apartments, and master-metered properties may bill utilities through a landlord or housing office—use the account tied to your address for rate research.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — PWC retail water (Fayetteville) vs Cumberland County Public Utilities districts

Inside Fayetteville, PWC typically bills residential water with fixed and volumetric components under its adopted Service Regulations and Charges (including inside-city versus outside-city columns where applicable). Irrigation meters and commercial accounts use non-residential schedules.

Cumberland County Public Utilities extends water and/or sewer service in unincorporated districts established by the Board of Commissioners—Kelly Hills, NORCRESS, Overhills Park, Southpoint, and Gray’s Creek appear in county public materials—with payments due on county billing channels rather than PWC’s customer portal when you are a county district customer.

Wells and small systems still serve some parcels; do not model those homes with city or county retail line items without verifying the water supply.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — PWC regional sewer operations; county districts; connection rules vary

PWC operates large-scale water reclamation facilities and maintains extensive sanitary sewer collections in the Fayetteville area; its public sewer pages describe regional service to multiple communities and sanitary districts where PWC is the operator of record for qualifying connections.

County district customers may pay Cumberland County Public Utilities for sewer service in established unincorporated programs, while in-city Fayetteville customers on public sewer typically see PWC sewer line items—never assume the same remittance address as a neighbor on a different system.

Septic systems and private package plants are outside typical PWC or county retail sewer schedules for modeling.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City of Fayetteville tax-billed fee; Cumberland County Solid Waste programs

The City of Fayetteville provides curbside trash, recycling, bulky, and yard-waste programs on published routes; the city documents a residential solid waste fee collected through the annual property tax bill—confirm the current dollar amount and cart rules on the city’s Public Services solid waste pages.

Cumberland County Solid Waste Management operates the Ann Street Landfill, convenience centers, household hazardous waste collection, and related policies for many county residents; fee schedules and gate rules change with county adoption.

Unincorporated households may use county disposal options or municipal service depending on annexation and franchise agreements—match your property’s jurisdiction before comparing monthly cash outlays.

Official sources

Summaries rely on Fayetteville PWC electric, water, and sewer customer materials and Service Regulations and Charges, Cumberland County Public Utilities pages, Cumberland County Solid Waste Management publications, City of Fayetteville solid waste pages, the North Carolina Public Staff’s typical-bill electric tables, and NCUC/Duke Energy customer references as of the last verified date. PWC electric territory, county district boundaries, and tax-billed solid waste fees are address-specific—this overview supports research, not a substitute for a property tax bill detail, metered utility statement, or landfill fee sheet.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Cumberland 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

$235.32

Fayetteville

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 52% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $9.94.
  • Each additional 1,000 gallons of water adds about $11.40 to your water and sewer bills combined (water ~$5.20 + wastewater ~$6.20).

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 (e.g. state commission 1,000 kWh); not city-specific.
  • 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: Fayetteville utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

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Cities in Cumberland 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
Fayetteville (illustrative pattern)$235.32

More in North Carolina

North Carolina utility costsElectric providers in North CarolinaFayetteville utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Cumberland County. Electric uses city or provider tariff data; water, sewer, and trash use city or provider rate schedules. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and source links.
Cities in the same county can have different electric providers, municipal water and sewer systems, and trash contracts. Rates and fee structures vary, so estimated monthly totals differ. Use the comparison table and city links to see details.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Always confirm current rates on the provider's or city's website before making decisions.
Not always. Many in-city addresses are served by PWC, but certified electric territories can still differ at the edge of the service area, and some locations may be served by Duke Energy Progress. Use the legal name on your electric bill—not the post office city alone.
Cumberland County Public Utilities bills customers in certain unincorporated water and sewer districts (for example, Kelly Hills, NORCRESS, Overhills Park, Southpoint, or Gray’s Creek in county materials). Those accounts follow county payment rules and schedules rather than PWC’s city retail tables.
Typically no. The city publishes the residential solid waste program as a fee on the annual property tax bill rather than a stand-alone monthly utility statement—confirm the current amount on the city’s solid waste pages.

Learn more

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