Pleasant Prairie property owners will not see an increase in solid waste and recycling collection or clean water bills in 2022. On Monday, November 1, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board unanimously approved the Solid Waste Utility and Clean Water Utility budgets. Both utilities will maintain the current services offered and keep rates steady throughout 2022.
"Village residents are helping bring the cost of recycling down by keeping recyclables loose, not bagged, in the recycling cart," said John Steinbrink Jr., Public Works Director. "Recyclables in plastic bags are considered contaminated, and the Village incurs fees to dispose of contamination found in the recycling stream. Over the past year, the community has done a fantastic job keeping recyclables loose in their recycling bins; the increased effort helps the environment and reduces collection costs."
In 2021, the Village saw a reduction in single-stream recycling costs due to decreased contamination fees and a better recycling market. The Village plans to maintain the current waste and recycling fees in 2022 at $21.50 per month. Village staff anticipates recycling disposal costs savings to continue, conservatively budgeting $60,000 less for recycling collection. These savings will help offset the increased operating costs for the garbage and recycling trucks and build cash reserves. The Solid Waste Utility provides curbside garbage, recycling, and leaf collection services to approximately 7,540 Pleasant Prairie homes. Utility funds also operate the Residential Recycling Center and offer hazardous waste collection, along with free compost, mulch, shred events, and Christmas tree drop-off sites.
Clean Water Utility manages and maintains the Village's stormwater infrastructure, protecting groundwater from contaminated stormwater runoff. The approved 2022 budget for Clean Water Utility includes operating, capital, and debt service. The Clean Water Utility budget adoption does not require increasing the current $6 per month Equivalent Runoff Unit (ERU) charge. Funds collected by the stormwater fee are used to maintain Village-owned stormwater infrastructures, maintain catch basins, and preserve natural drainage systems like streams and buffers. In 2022, the Clean Water Utility will continue to perform street sweeping, outfall inspections, and catch basin cleaning. The proposed budget includes $2.2 million in revenue and $2.3 million in expenses. The fund has sufficient reserves to cover 2022 operating expenses and capital requests.