Deputy City Manager Micah Grau said during a March 23 City Council meeting options for residential and commercial services are about to open back up following the December 2021 conclusion of Buda’s five-year contract with Texas Disposal Systems.
The current contract provides weekly trash and biweekly recycling and green waste services as well as quarterly bulk pickups for residences, and daily to weekly commercial trash and recycling dumpster options.
Grau said Buda’s options include renewing with TDS for another five years, renegotiating and then renewing with TDS or notifying TDS of termination, which must be done by Sept. 2.
“I know you’re thinking it’s quite a ways until Sept. 2, but when we’re talking trash services, these transitions take quite a bit of time,” Grau said.
A 2020 survey of Buda residents shows most customers are happy with their current service, as 84% of respondents rated their solid waste collection at excellent or good, and 80% rated their recycling services the same.
Of note, Grau said that trash tonnage picked up by TDS in Buda went from roughly 4,042 tons in 2016 to more than 5,000 in 2020.
When compared with Kyle and San Marcos, Buda customers pay the least in monthly costs at $19.26 versus $22.69 in Kyle and $21.78 in San Marcos, but each city has different options and services within their plans, Grau said.
Council will address the issue again at an upcoming meeting once Grau collects more data on costs and plan options.
