Houston storm recovery: Solid Waste Department urges residents to be ready for three passes of debris pickup in next 90 days

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Giant trucks with large mechanical arms are a welcome sight in The Heights, where Dave Nickerson has tried his best to pile the latest batch of storm debris along the city’s right-of-way.

“We had to bring everything out from back here, get it out to the curb, cut it up so they could take it,” Nickerson, who has put his chainsaw to solid use in the past few weeks, said.

The City of Houston’s Solid Waste Department is working through giving every neighborhood a first pass to pick up debris and planning for three passes in the next 90 days.

The department wants to remind residents that workers can not go on private property to remove debris. They must be placed in the City of Houston’s right of way.

“I wish we could,” City of Houston director of solid waste Mark Wilfalk said. “But, liability issues and whatnot, we’re only going to be able to pick up debris at the curb, so if you have debris generated on your site, it’s very important that resident moves that debris to the curb so they can grab it and move it to the trucks.”

On the near northside at Quitman, ABC13 saw Leslie Williams clean up limbs around his sister’s house.

“I’m going just to clear the things out and get the things. I know where the city line is, where they can reach, and then clean it up and haul it up,” Williams said. “It’s a big job.”

Williams showed up at his sister’s house because she was upset that CenterPoint contractors cutting limbs away from lines had left large tree trunks blocking her driveway.

Williams is more sympathetic. He knows the workers have put in very long hours and doesn’t mind helping out his sister.

“Look, I’m a working man. As horrible as that was, they did a good job. Even as the guys who are coming in from everywhere else. Surpassed. Great job,” he said.

CenterPoint Energy officials said if crews are doing regular tree maintenance, they remove the limbs they cut down.

However, they do not remove storm debris. Storm debris needs to be moved to the curb for crews from either the City of Houston or Harris County workers to remove.

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