Kerr County starting emergency debris pickup plan

A Kerr County Disaster Debris Pickup Plan poster topped by the Kerr County, Texas, official seal details what C&D debris is, when and where it will be picked up, what debris won't be picked up, how long the collection event will last, what residents in the unincorporated areas of the county need to do to ensure their C&D debris is removed and more. Kerr County leaders have successfully initialized an emergency debris pickup plan by awarding a specialized contract for the collection of Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris ONLY starting as early as tomorrow, Wednesday, Aug. 26, and continuing for the next three weeks.

Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county are urged to drive with extra caution on local roads as they start to see large trucks retrieving and hauling away heavy materials generated from the July 16 catastrophic flood and the subsequent mucking out, demolition and/or construction to repair or rebuild local flood-damaged homes and businesses.

Performing the work will be Garner Environmental Services, Inc., which was awarded a contract by the Kerr County Commissioners’ Court on Monday. The contract is for work not to exceed $500,000.

DebrisTech was also contracted Monday for the same amount and time frame to monitor debris collection and audit volumes. Governmental agencies hire an independent company to provide oversight on collection efforts to guarantee federal reimbursement, if it is made available, as well as to prevent financial fraud and regulatory compliance by making sure loads are strictly what they are supposed to be – full and not mixed in with other types of debris matter.

Leaders pointed out that this debris collection contract is for C&D materials only – not vegetative matter, “white goods” (household appliances), electronics, hazardous materials or any other types of flood-generated waste.

Construction and Demolition (C&D) debris often includes such things as wood, steel, concrete, bricks, masonry blocks, drywall, plaster, carpet and other flooring materials, ceiling tiles, acoustic panels, sinks, toilets, pipes, electrical wiring, glass windows, shingles, etc.

What to Do:

To ensure that their C&D debris is collected, county residents must be sure it is:

Separated from any other type of debris
Placed directly on the right-of-way at the edge of your property next to the public road
Not obstructing any road or blocking drainage ditches
Clearly accessed - Collection trucks use heavy, mechanical arms and must have clear access to the piles of debris, so do not place any near or under low-hanging power lines or trees, fire hydrants, water meters or mailboxes

Collection trucks will NOT enter or remove any debris on private property.

No household garbage will be collected. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha announced recently that his officers will take a zero tolerance approach to those who illegally dump household garbage in with flood debris.

Commissioners said a lot of thought and work has gone into setting up this plan. They are acting to take care of debris piles in the interest of public health, safety and welfare.

“Right now, we’re doing everything in our power to do things as quickly and as economically as we can,” said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly.

Those with questions related to the county’s debris pickup plan are encouraged to reach out to their individual precinct commissioner. Names, contact information and a map of county precincts are located on the Kerr County, Texas, website on the Commissioners’ Court page.