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City Connection June 2017 CITY CONNECTION Volume 13, Issue 7 June 2017 Calendar June 2017 6 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 7 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 14 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 15 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 20 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 21 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 28 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste July 2017 4 - Independence Day - All City Facilities Closed 5 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 6 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 12:00 p.m. 11 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 12 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste 18 - City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. 19 - Yard Waste Trimming Collection 20 - Planning Commission - City Hall at 5:30 p.m. 26 - Heavy Trash & Large Yard Waste Submit requests for Heavy Trash pick-up before noon on Wednesday, the week prior to pick-up, at 294-5796. Learn more about City events at www.huntsvilletx.gov Summer Reading Program Have fun this summer while preventing the “summer slide” by signing up for the Huntsville Public Library’s Texas Summer Reading Program for all ages. Sign up for the summer program, print off your Book Bingo Reading Log, and start enriching your summer. Turn in your completed Log anytime during business hours from Monday, July 17th through Friday, July 21st. Children (ages 0-12) and teens (ages 13-17) who turn in their completed logs will receive a prize pack of coupons to local Huntsville restaurants, a free book, and a ticket to enter our raffle to win even more exciting prizes. Adults (ages 18 +) can also participate by playing bingo to receive a chocolate bar and a raffle ticket for the Adult Summer Reading Program grand prize. For more information, contact Rachel McPhail, Children’s Coordinator at 936-291-5910. Keeping Zika Out of Huntsville! During the first week of May, Governor Greg Abbott and Texas De- partment of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt sent a letter to County Judges and Mayors across the state asking for their help fighting Zika. “With the ongoing risk posed by Zika, we are requesting your con- tinued assistance in delaying locally transmitted Zika virus in Tex- as this year by promoting precautions to prevent mosquito bites and taking action to reduce mosquito breeding grounds in your communities,” read the letter. “We expect local mosquito transmis- sion to resume and persist as the weather warms and mosquito activity increases. The Texas Department of State Health Services stands ready to provide technical expertise as you prepare your lo- cality’s Zika response plans or prepare to conduct community en- gagement efforts,” the letter continued. The letter offered tips to help protect residents, which include con- sistently using mosquito repellent when outside, wearing long sleeves and pants, and using air conditioning or being sure window screens will keep mosquitoes out of the home and other indoor en- vironments. Also, Texans statewide should pick up trash and dump out containers that could hold standing water in and around their homes, schools, outdoor recreation venues and businesses to deny mosquitoes a place to lay their eggs. The City’s website also has a page of links and precautions on in- fectious diseases, at http://www.huntsvilletx.gov/Zika or visit the State’s Zika website http://texaszika.org/. Page 2 CITY CONNECTION Wynne Home Art Classes The Wynne Home Arts Center will be hosting two one-week art camps July 11-14 and July 18-21. Each camp runs from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Tuesday through Friday. Ages six to twelve can participate. Each day will include three one-hour classes for each age group varied among things such as pottery, painting or dance. Individual classes will be offered in the afternoons, including guitar. There will be two one-week Fiber and Clay Workshops from July 24 - 27, and August 1 - 4; these will meet from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Check out http://thewynnehome.com/ for more information and registration! City of Huntsville’s 4th of July Celebration Join the City of Huntsville and celebrate July 4th! The celebration is from 4 to 8 PM at Kate Barr Ross Park. It will include Face Painting, Balloon Art, Leather-working, Sand Art, Bounce Houses, Rock Wall, a Watermelon Eating Contest, and Karaoke! Concessions will be available for purchase. The fireworks display will begin after dark around 9:15 PM. This event gets bigger every year, check out https://www.facebook.com/COHrecservices for more information. School’s Out for the Summer School is out for the summer...so keep eyes out for kids playing on our streets, crossing roads to get to parks, walking pets, or chasing a ball out of a yard into traffic. Use special attention at dusk, when it’s harder to see. Check the City’s social media pages for activities all summer long. Be sure to share your pictures with us using #HomeSweetHuntsville. Jedi Academy “Aren’t you a little short to be a Stormtrooper?” Not at the Huntsville Public Library! Come to our 2nd annual Jedi Academy. It is an all ages intergalactic program from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 29th. Enjoy Star Wars-themed games, prizes and out of this world refreshments. Test your Jedi mettle with light sabers and laser blaster target practice. Sign up is required and can be found at www.myhuntsvillelibrary.com. For more information, contact Rachel McPhail, Children’s Coordinator at 936-291-5910. Page 3 CITY CONNECTION What happens during a rain event when there’s more water than normal flowing throughout the collection system?  By design, the City’s wastewater collection system (sewer) is separate from the storm drainage system. Storm water does not flow through the wastewater treatment plant. Instead, it flows directly into creeks, streams, and lakes. However, due to unintended processes referred to as “infiltration and inflow” (I/I), excess water can enter the sewer system and ultimately the treatment plant.  Infiltration occurs when groundwater enters the sewer system through cracks, holes, faulty connections, or other openings. Inflow occurs when surface water, including storm water, enters the sewer system through roof downspout connections, holes in manhole covers, illegal plumbing connections, missing private cleanout caps, and other defects.  The sanitary sewer system and treatment plant have a maximum flow capacity of wastewater that can be contained and treated. I/I, which is essentially clean water, takes up this capacity and can result in sewer overflows into streets and waterways, sewer backups into homes, and unnecessary costs for treatment of this water. What should I do if sewage is overflowing from a sewer structure onto the ground?  If you notice any sewage flowing onto the ground, call 936-294-5700 to report it. Please give your name and a call back number and note exact location and where the sewage is coming from. City crews will respond to investigate. Sewage is backing up into my house overflowing from my drains. What should I do?  If these problems occur and you are not using any water outlets, there may be a problem in the City main. Call 936-294-5700 to request service. If you are using your household water outlets, turn them off. If the overflowing wastewater stops after turning off your outlets, you likely have a problem in your private sewer lateral pipe, and you will probably need to call a plumber. Who do I call at night if I have a sewer problem or see a manhole overflowing?  The same number is used 24 hours per day. Please call 936-294-5700 to report any problems with service. How can I reduce my risk of sewer backing up into my home?  More often than not, sewer backing up into a home is a result of I/I from overland flooding, and/or a clog in the sewer lines. A sewer backflow prevention device may prevent sewer from backing up into a residence. It is a one-way valve installed in the home’s drain line that allows wastewater to flow out, but swings shut to help prevent sewer from flowing back in. Please note that this device must be installed by a professional plumber. What can I do to help prevent sewer backups in the City’s sewer system?  Throw “wet wipes” away and never flush them down the toilet. While these wipes may be labeled as “flushable” they do not disintegrate within the sewer system. They combine with fats, and greases in the system and form blockages which will restrict or stop the normal flow in the sewer lines. They also clog pumps, which causes sewer backups due to the flow not being able to be moved to the next highest elevation in the system.  Grease blocking sewer lines is a serious maintenance problem for the City and private property owners. When grease is poured/washed down private drain lines it sticks to the inside of the pipes as it cools down and forms solid masses. This buildup will eventually restrict or block sewer lines completely, which can cause sewer to backup into your home or overflow into streets and waterways.  Home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the sewer lines and products that claim to dissolve grease may dislodge a blockage, but it will eventually end up causing problems further downstream. Here are some helpful tips to keep sewer lines free of fats and grease:  Never pour grease down sinks, tubs, or toilets.  Pour grease and oil into a can and put it in the freezer when it’s full. The hardened grease can then be disposed of with your household trash without making a mess.  Remove food scraps from pots, pans, and dishes. Dispose of them in the trash can.  Catch food scraps with baskets or strainers in your sink drain and throw those scraps into the trash can. Wastewater Whatnot City of Huntsville Recycling Guidelines Direct questions to (936) 294-5712 Curbside recycling guidelines: 1. Rinse all plastics and cans to remove residue 2. Plastics 1-7 stamped with number and symbol accepted 3. Flatten items to save room inside of cart 4. Keep cart five (5) feet from all other objects including vehi- cles 5. Carts must be placed at the curb or street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Carts must be re- moved from the street’s edge by the end of the collection day (carts cannot be stored at the street’s edge) Items that cannot be placed in the City cart: Garbage, food waste, yard waste, loose shredded paper, glass/oil/filters, batteries, cell phones, electronics, Styrofoam, aluminum foil, or plastic bags of any kind. No plastic wrap, shrink wrap, or bubble wrap. No Styrofoam, even if it has a recycling number and symbol on item. Recycling Drop-Off Center Information: The Recycling Center accepts self-hauled recyclable items and is locat- ed at 590 I-45 North. The Recycling Center Attendant will be onsite to assist customers from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Drop- offs can still be made Monday - Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and holiday closings are posted. Yard Waste Specifics Collection Service: 1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesday of each month - No call-in required! Yard waste is classified as leaves, grass, pine needles, yard clippings and small brush, items referred to as “green waste.” The total number of paper compostable-bagged, canned, or bundled yard waste items is limited to twelve (12) per house- hold per collection day. All yard waste materials must be placed within two (2) feet of street’s edge no later than 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the scheduled pick-up. Yard waste such as leaves, grass, pine needles or small clip- pings must be: (1) Bagged in paper compostable bags or placed in personal garbage cans (not to exceed 32 gallons); (2) Cannot exceed 50 pounds each; (3) City-issued garbage and recycling carts cannot be filled with yard waste. Tree limbs and brush must be: (1) No longer than four (4) feet in length; (2) Limbs no larger than four (4) inches in diameter; (3) Must be tied securely in bundles which cannot exceed two (2) feet in diameter and can’t exceed 50 pounds each. The following items and locations DO NOT qualify for Yard Waste pick-up: (1) Household garbage of any kind; (2) Anything other than green waste: NO flower pots, fertilizer, mulch, bags, dirt, potting soil, sand, rock, gravel, etc. (3) Commercial businesses or commercially generated yard waste. Bring your City utility bill showing that you pay for gar- bage service and dispose of your yard waste at the City Transfer Station free of charge. This excludes commercial customers, yard waste contractors, and any lawn service providers. The customer must be present with their current City garbage bill at the time of disposal. For more information on yard waste trimming collec- tion services, contact the Solid Waste Services Divi- sion at (936) 294-5712. Recycling Drop-off Center Guidelines: Aluminum - Soda cans, beer cans: Flattened/unflattened. Keep aluminum cans separate from steel cans. NO FOIL, BAKING PANS OR FOOD TRAYS. Steel Cans - Food cans, pet food cans, aerosol cans: Rinse out the can, you can leave the label on. Aerosol cans must be empty. Newspaper - Whatever comes inside the newspaper can be recycled. Stack and put in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Throw away plastic rain sleeves and rubber bands. Magazines - catalogs, phone books: Keep separate from newspaper. Place in brown bags or small cardboard boxes. DO NOT place in plastic bags. Paper - White or colored paper, remove paper clips, rubber bands and staples if possible. Put in small boxes or paper stacks. Glass - Clear, green or brown only: Throw away lids, rinse out. You can leave the label on. Place glass in separate containers. NO window panes, light bulbs or dishware. Cardboard - Toilet/paper towel cores, food boxes, medicine boxes, shoe boxes, shipping/moving boxes, sugar bags, dog/cat food bags which include a recycling logo, paper bags. NO packing materials, plastic liners or foam. Plastics - Numbered 1-7: Recycling symbol and number are required. Milk Jugs and Water Jugs - Throw away cap/lid. Rinse with warm water and try to flatten. Keep these jugs separate from soda bottles or colored plastic. Other #1 and #2 Plastic Containers - Examples of other recyclable containers: syrup bottles #3, snap on coffee lids #4, cottage cheese containers #5, yogurt containers #6, and ketchup bottles #7 Visit www.huntsvilletx.gov for curbside recycling schedules, full list of acceptable curbside items, and more recycling information.