SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Houston is reportedly moving ahead with a broad overhaul of its solid waste operations after introducing a new $5 monthly trash fee. According to sources, city officials are targeting a sharp reduction in missed garbage collections and an improved customer service.
Public Works Director Randy Macchi told City Council members that the department aims to achieve 99% on-time trash pickups by next summer. The city currently misses about 17 collections for every 10,000 scheduled pickups. However, this is a substantial improvement from more than 23 per 10,000 recorded from a year before.
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The department plans to reduce missed collections to fewer than 10 per 10,000 by the end of next year. Officials are also shifting performance measurements toward customer-focused indicators, rather than relying primarily on the volume of waste collected.
The changes follow months of criticism over unreliable trash, recycling and yard-waste services. City leaders say the new fee is intended to provide additional financial support while addressing longstanding operational problems.
Houston recently transferred the solid waste department’s $134 million budget from the general fund to the city’s utility system within Public Works. Most of the department’s funding will now come through water bill revenue, with trash fee supporting only a smaller portion.
A full implementation of the proposed reform measures will take at least a year, city offcials said.