Valencia County Approves New Waste Contract, Some Rates Rise

Valencia County finalized a new contract for municipal solid waste collection and disposal at the December 10 meeting, a move county officials said was necessary to maintain uninterrupted service. The contract awards collection and disposal responsibilities to the vendor presented to the council and establishes the contract length that will govern local hauling and landfill services for the coming years. Officials pointed to continuity and operational stability as reasons for selection.

County staff outlined the principal cost drivers behind the rate increases, identifying fuel and disposal tipping fees, inflation, and rising equipment and labor costs as the main factors. The contract includes multi year rate escalators tied to those cost pressures, meaning charges may increase periodically over the life of the agreement. Officials also said the negotiated contract contains service level protections including bulk pickup policies, holiday collection schedules, and remedies for missed pickup incidents.

The county presented how the new rates will be applied and the timetable for their start. Single family residential customers were shown approximate new costs for standard service levels, with variations depending on container size and service frequency. County materials explained how qualifying households can request rate reductions or rebates and noted the procedures residents must follow to enroll for any available relief.

For households and businesses facing higher bills the change will affect monthly household budgets and commercial operating costs. The county emphasized that the contract was intended to protect service reliability while managing unavoidable cost increases. Residents are advised to review the county communication on effective service start dates and to follow the provided instructions for billing inquiries and service complaints.

The vote on December 10 concludes the procurement phase and begins the transition to contract implementation. County officials said they will monitor vendor performance and enforce the service level provisions included in the agreement while continuing to communicate with residents about rate adjustments and complaint resolution.