Bright green City of Yakima garbage trucks will begin service next month to nearly 700 new customers in the Occidental Annexation area in West Valley.\u00a0 The 1.6 square-mile area became part of the City in 2007, but under terms of the annexation, Yakima Waste Systems continued to provide residential service in the area for another seven years.<\/p>\n
That seven-year period ends on Tuesday, April 8th<\/sup>, and City crews have already begun delivering new garbage and yard waste bins to customers who have set up accounts at Yakima City Hall.<\/p>\n A new provider and a different garbage pick up day are not the only changes customers will experience.\u00a0 For the first time, garbage collection will be required for all residents living in the Occidental Annexation area, which starts at 52nd<\/sup> avenue and stretches west beyond 96th<\/sup> avenue.<\/p>\n \u201cRequiring mandatory garbage collection is a matter of health and safety,\u201d says Yakima Solid Waste and Recycling Manager Loretta Zammarchi.\u00a0 \u201cIt is required by the Yakima Municipal Code and is one of the advantages of living inside city limits.\u201d<\/p>\n Postcards alerting residents and property owners in the annexation area of the pending changes in garbage service were mailed out in early March.<\/p>\n “So far the response has been good, but not everyone in the area has signed up for service yet,” said Zammarchi.\u00a0 \u201cWe really encourage people to sign up as soon as possible so that they will be able to begin to receive service from the City without any delay.\u201d<\/p>\n Anyone who has not signed up for City refuse service or has questions is urged to call the City\u2019s Utility Services Department at 575-6080 as soon as possible.<\/p>\n The City of Yakima Solid Waste \u00a0 Division has ranked high in customer satisfaction in the 2012 and 2013 Yakima Citizen Surveys, and Zammarchi says her crew is looking forward to providing the same excellent service to its newest customers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n