Photo: Leaflet · CC BY-SA 3.0Living in Amherst, TX: what to set up and who to call
Tap water in Amherst comes from the City of Amherst water system, 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. Most of Amherst has one wired internet choice: Valor Telecommunications of Texas.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Amherst, 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 Amherst.
Power comes from Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (Southwestern Public Service Co.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Amherst. Its homes paid an average of 13.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $131 a month (its average across Texas).
Start or move service: xcelenergy.com · (800) 895-4999
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from City of Amherst water system
The City of Amherst water system supplies almost all of Amherst. It draws ground water and serves 721 people in all.
No health-based violations reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026, like 78% of the 5,327 systems serving 501–1,000 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. The highest in five years was 3.7 ppb. 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. TX1400006.
3 home internet providers serve Amherst
92% of 362 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 0% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valor Telecommunications of Texas | DSL | 98% | 200/20 |
| FASI | Fixed wireless | 100% | 10/1 |
| AW Broadband | Fixed wireless | 86% | 300/100 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Amherst’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Amherst.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Amherst is in Amherst Independent 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.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Aug 2024; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Amherst is in ZIP code 79312
ZIP codes where Amherst residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Amherst | ZIP’s residents in Amherst |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79312 | Amherst, TX | 100% | 73% |
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 Amherst
Who supplies Amherst’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The City of Amherst water system (EPA ID TX1400006). 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 Amherst?
Xcel Energy (Southwestern Public Service Co.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 13.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Amherst?
Valor Telecommunications of Texas, FASI, AW Broadband (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Amherst?
79312. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Amherst in?
Amherst Independent School District.
How do I register to vote in Amherst?
Texas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before). Elections here are run by the Lamb County Early Voting Clerk. Check your registration at teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.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.