San Antonio residents affected by the August 28 thunderstorm can now bring entire fallen trees to the curb for pickup. City Solid Waste Management Director Josephine Valencia announced that the department is temporarily waiving its usual brush‑volume restrictions to help neighborhoods recover more quickly.
Expanded pickup area and volume
Valencia said crews have been focused on the storm’s path, which stretched from the city’s East corridor down to the Southwest. In the first week of the effort, city trucks collected almost 6 million pounds of brush and debris. “We recognize there’s still a lot out there,” she noted, adding that trucks will return this week to finish the job.
How the waiver works
Normally the city limits brush pickups by both weight and cubic yardage. Because of the extraordinary damage, the limits are suspended. Residents may now place an entire fallen tree at the curb, provided it can be moved there. Valencia urged homeowners to break up larger limbs as much as possible before loading them onto the street.
Where the material goes
All collected brush is hauled to the Bitters Brush Recycling Center on Wurzbach Parkway. There the material is processed into two types of mulch: a coarse wood chip offered free of charge, and a finer, landscape‑grade mulch sold to the public.
Bulky waste options
In addition to brush, the city continues to accept bulky waste that does not consist of trees or brush. Residents can drop off such items at any of San Antonio’s four bulky‑waste collection centers at no cost. To use these sites, the city requires a copy of the resident’s CPS Energy bill showing payment of the environmental fee, which funds the program.
Both homeowners and renters—including those in gated communities—are eligible for the service. Valencia reminded anyone using CPS Energy’s online payment portal to print the second page of their statement and bring the entire bill to the drop‑off site.
Deadlines and next steps
Residents who still have brush or debris on their property should move it to the curb as soon as possible. Anything left on private property after Monday, September 14, should be reported by calling 311.
For a complete list of acceptable materials at the bulky‑waste centers, readers can visit the city’s website.
Original reporting: San Antonio, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
