“Scenes like this picture are found all too often throughout our region,” said Jim Parks, NTMWD Executive Director. “The public needs to know that dumping illegally along our roadsides and wildlife areas can be a threat to water quality and the land in general.”
Solving illegal dumping problems is a top priority for both North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) and Collin County. NTMWD has entered an inter-local agreement with Collin County (County) for participation in the Clean-Up Day Program provided for the citizens of Collin County.
At the request of County Commissioner Joe Jaynes and Jon Kleinheksel, Public Works Director for the County, the NTMWD and the County have combined efforts and resources to combat illegal dumping with an expansion of the County’s monthly Clean-Up Program.
The County’s Clean-Up Program will be conducted at the NTMWD 121 Regional Disposal Facility (121 RDF) and is held usually the first Saturday of each month. Collin County citizens will be allowed to bring clean-up items (household municipal waste not permitted) to the 121 RDF for disposal.
The County will provide a crew onsite consisting of a public works employee to verify users, a Sheriff Deputy for enforcement, and a crew from the Sheriff’s Convicted Offenders Re-entry Efforts “SCORE” program to assist in unloading debris and tires. The County employee will provide a voucher to the eligible Collin County citizen. NTMWD bills the County on a monthly basis based on the tonnage disposed through the Clean-Up Program.
This inter-local agreement is beneficial to the region and contributes significantly to the diversion goals of the State of Texas. “County and municipal governments, as well as regional authorities like NTMWD, must work together to address these issues, such as illegal dumping, which are intensified with the growth being experienced by counties like Collin. Area clean-ups involving hundreds of volunteers help to rectify specific problems, but education is really the key," states Jim Parks.
“We developed the 121 RDF to make certain our region has adequate capacity to deal with the solid waste for decades to come,” stated Parks. “Landfill convenience and affordability are important if we are going to be successful in convincing people not to dump their trash on public right-of-ways and property belonging to others.”
For more information on
Collin County Clean-Up, visit
http://www.co.collin.tx.us/public_works/trash_collection.jsp
For more information on
Collin County Recycling, visit
http://www.co.collin.tx.us/public_works/recycling_program.jsp