Killeen urges residents to be mindful when disposing of trash, bulky items

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - The city of Killeen is urging residents to be more mindful when discarding trash and bulky items after city workers cleaned up hundreds of pounds of garbage across town.

Over the past week, workers spent days cleaning more than 200 pounds of trash and debris off the sidewalks.

"Illegal dumping is wherever we find it," Director of Code Enforcement for the City of Killeen Kevin Watkins said. "You'll find it anywhere where people can find a secluded area to dump their debris."

This cleanup effort was not a one-time effort, as this is something the Code Enforcement Office says they find themselves doing often.

"This wasn't a one-time operation that we went on, code enforcement does that year-round," Watkins said.

Illegal dumping is hard to curb as people are rarely ever caught in the act, but the city hopes the pictures of the cleanup serve as a reminder that it takes a village to keep Killeen clean.

"Be a good witness," Watkins said. "If you get any kind of identifiers, description of a vehicle with a license plate, description of the people, that information is probably the most valuable."

Not only is the garbage an eye sore for locals and travelers, but it's also harmful as it can cause sewer drains to clog and personal properties to get ruined.

To help prevent this, the city provides a number of ways for residents to dispose of debris.

"I think there's a misconception that we don't have bulk pick up anymore, but we do have that as long as it's in line with the ordinances," Watkins said. "If you take your water bill out to the transfer station you can dispose of up to 500 pounds of trash for free per month just by taking your water bill out there."

If someone is caught in the act of illegal dumping, the consequences can range from a fine to felony charges.