At their meeting on August 12^th, 2024, New Braunfels City Council gave unanimous approval to changes affecting solid waste collection and operations. The approved changes, which become effective October 1^st, 2024, include a new rate structure for commercial garbage collection and a new schedule for residential recycling collection. 

“The City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Division operates as an enterprise fund, which means incoming revenue is expected to cover all expenses without support from the general fund. However, over the last two fiscal years (2023 and 2024), expenses were deferred and reserves were used to balance the Solid Waste budget because costs have been growing at a faster pace than revenues. To address this, City Council has approved changes to the rate structure for commercial customers, the first change since 2018,” said Assistant Public Works Director Matthew Eckmann. “Additionally, collection routes and days of service have not been updated since 2010 despite continued population growth, leading to uneven and inefficient routes. In order to avoid a rate increase for residential customers, City Council has also opted to implement a biweekly collection schedule for recycling and green waste services and City staff is developing updated route maps.”

Here is a synopsis of the changes that were approved: 

Residential Garbage Collection

• Rates: No changes to residential garbage collection rates ($13.40 per month - last adjusted in 2010).
• Routes & Schedules: Collection will remain weekly, but some customers may see a change in their collection day.

Residential Recycling & Green Waste Collection

• Rates: No changes to residential recycling collection rates ($4.26 per month - last adjusted in 2010).
• Routes & Schedules: The newly approved schedule means residents will have their recycling and green waste collected once every other week (biweekly). That change does necessitate updates to collection routes and may mean a change in which day of the week recycling and green waste will be collected.

Commercial Garbage Collection

• Rates: The newly approved rate structure provides a lower rate to commercial customers who use services less frequently and a higher rate for customers who use services more frequently, when compared to the current structure. The new rate structure will be phased in over the next three fiscal years, beginning October 1^st, 2024, with subsequent adjustments on October 1^st, 2025, and October 1^st, 2026. For more information about commercial services, visit www.newbraunfels.gov/commercialgarbage.

For additional information, including future updates once new residential garbage and recycling route maps are finalized, visit www.newbraunfels.gov/garbage.