Notice: Trash rates to increase beginning October 1

The Galveston City Council on Thursday approved trash rate increases to keep up with the rising costs of providing sanitation service.

City sanitation services are funded by the trash rates customers pay and do not receive any tax funding. The City of Galveston has taken several steps in recent years to avoid sanitation rate increases and address the rising costs of providing sanitation services. Costs for the sanitation division have increased by nearly 25 percent since 2021 and stem from rising diesel, equipment and labor expenses. These actions include eliminating daily service downtown and improved efficiencies by minimizing return trips.

However, even with those changes, the sanitation department has continued to operate at a $500,000 per year deficit. An independent, third-party sanitation rate study determined the new rates required to keep up with the costs of service and the rate increases were adopted by council.

The rates will go into effect on October 1, 2024, and include increases to the residential rate, the recycling fee and the rate paid by churches. The changes also include increases to the commercial rate.

The residential refuse collection rate will increase from $24.97 to $29.49 per unit per month. There will also be a recycling fee of $3.18 per month assessed to all residential customers. The fees are for the operational and administrative expenses of the city's recycling division. The refuse fees for churches will also increase from $27.84 to $35.49 per month for two carts and $6 for each additional cart.

For commercial customers, the monthly fees will increase from $53.12 per month to $70.58 per month. This includes one collection day per week. Each commercial business will be provided with two carts, and additional carts are $34.73 each. Businesses are allowed a total of four trash carts.