Photo: Stepheng3 · Public domainLiving in Monte Rio, CA: what to set up and who to call
Monte Rio has no town government of its own, so Sonoma County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend West Sonoma County Union High School District. Tap water in Monte Rio comes from Sweetwater Springs Cwd - Monte Rio, which has a clean five-year EPA record (about 22% of systems its size had a health-based violation) and a latest lead result below detection.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Monte Rio, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Monte Rio.
Power comes from PG&E
PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Monte Rio. Its homes paid an average of 37.5¢ per kWh in 2025, about $174 a month (its average across California, for customers on its standard service). California lets you buy power from another supplier; 66% of PG&E’s home customers do, and PG&E still delivers it.
Start or move service: pgecorp.com
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Sweetwater Springs Cwd - Monte Rio
Sweetwater Springs Cwd - Monte Rio supplies almost all of Monte Rio. It draws ground water and serves 3,000 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan 2023–Dec 2025, was 0.0 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. Results below detection are reported as 0, so 0 doesn’t mean no lead at any tap.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0. Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. CA4910028.
3 home internet providers serve Monte Rio
99% of 603 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | Cable | 99% | 1,200/35 |
| AT&T | DSL, Fixed wireless | 73% | 10/1 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 53% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
The nearest public drop-off is 4 miles away
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Monte Rio.
Guerneville Transfer Station
This isn’t Monte Rio’s own facility. Whether Monte Rio residents may use it is the town’s rule: check the town’s office.
OpenStreetMap, as of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Monte Rio is in two districts that split the grades: West Sonoma County Union High School District and Monte Rio Union Elementary School District.
Test scores and every school: see Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
No town hall: the county runs things
Monte Rio is unincorporated, so Sonoma County is the local government.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2026; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Monte Rio spans 2 ZIP codes
ZIP codes where Monte Rio residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Monte Rio | ZIP’s residents in Monte Rio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95462 | Monte Rio, CA | 93% | 81% |
| 95486 | Villa Grande, CA | 7% | 100% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Monte Rio
Who supplies Monte Rio’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
Sweetwater Springs Cwd - Monte Rio (EPA ID CA4910028). It reported no health-based violations to EPA in the five years to October 2026; 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 0.0 ppb (Jan 2023–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Monte Rio?
PG&E (Pacific Gas & Electric Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 37.5¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Monte Rio?
Xfinity, AT&T, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Monte Rio?
95462 (93%), 95486 (7%), by share of residents. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Monte Rio in?
West Sonoma County Union High School District and Monte Rio Union Elementary School District.
How do I register to vote in Monte Rio?
In California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before). Elections here are run by the Sonoma County Registrar of Voters. Check your registration at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.