Overview
- The plan would place a new $5 monthly trash charge on water bills by renaming the existing line to “Solid Waste Cart and Administrative Fee,” which would show $6.29 at first.
- The charge would increase by $5 each year until it reaches $25 by fiscal 2032, introducing Houston’s first direct residential payment for trash pickup and still needing City Council approval.
- The proposal would shift Solid Waste out of the general fund and into Houston Public Works so trash services are funded through the utility structure rather than property taxes alone.
- Officials say the funding change comes with an operations overhaul that adds automated routes, GPS tracking, stricter standards, and backup contractors, along with upgrades to transfer stations and trucks.
- City data show the department serves about 400,000 customers and costs roughly $107 million a year, and the $5 start would raise about $25 million annually, with a future $25 rate still below cities like Dallas, El Paso, San Antonio, and Pasadena.