First Hike in 6 Years
Residential Rates Go Up $3.50/month on March 1, 2022
February 11, 2022 – During the City Council meeting on February 9, the Governing Body voted unanimously to approve a rate increase for trash/recycling services for Environmental Services Division customers. The new rates will go into effect on March 1, 2022. The increase was based on a comprehensive cost of service study conducted by NewGen Strategies and Solutions, LLC, and is the first since 2016.
Residential trash and recycling collection will increase $3.50/month, from $15.75 to $19.25.
Other increases include:
- Residential Bag Tags: $7.50 to $15 (per sheet of 5)
- Residential Large Item Pick-Up: $33.33 to $50 (for up to 8 cubic yards)
- Commercial Front Load: +7%*
- Commercial Rear-Load: +5%*
*individual commercial rates depend on size of container and frequency of collection
Shirlene Sitton, Environmental Services Division Director, says: “The vote of approval on this rate increase comes at a crucial time. Due to increases in fees from the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency and other cost increases since 2016, we were not recovering the funds needed for daily maintenance and operations. The new rates will allow us to continue to deliver essential services to city residents while maintaining a balanced operating budget.”
The Environmental Services Division is taking measures to keep rates as low as possible, and is nearing the completion of a route-optimization study that will update residential routes to maximize efficiencies – eliminating miles traveled and saving time and money while factoring in growth of the city. Residents are also encouraged to visit santafenm.gov/ESD or download the free Recycle Coach app to be sure they are recycling right and helping to reduce costs associated with contaminated recycling.
The new proposed rate will place the City of Santa Fe in the median range for rates statewide. Residents who are in need of assistance on their utility bills can apply for the low-income credit program here.