The San Antonio City Council held a Budget Work Session on September 9, 2025, focusing on the city's solid waste management services and budget allocations. The meeting provided an overview of the operational structure and financial details of the solid waste department, which operates as an enterprise fund, relying solely on user fees rather than tax dollars.

The solid waste budget, totaling over $193 million, is primarily allocated to curbside services, which include cart collection and bulky item pickups. The department serves approximately 382,000 ratepayers, with services offered to single-family homes through three different cart sizes—each associated with varying fees. Additionally, an environmental fee of $3 is charged to all residents, including those in apartments and commercial entities.

A significant portion of the discussion centered on the implementation of the Smart Collection Systems (SCS), aimed at improving efficiency in waste collection. This new navigation system, currently being rolled out to half of the department's fleet, replaces outdated paper maps with tablets that provide real-time data on service completion. This technology is expected to reduce missed collections and enhance service verification through integrated video recordings.

The council also addressed the city's brush and bulky collection services, which are projected to collect around 80,000 tons of waste this year. Currently, the city does not own any active landfills but operates a transfer station for waste management. Plans for the transfer station include a budget allocation of $2.5 million for repairs and potential upgrades, with future operations to be determined through a request for proposals (RFP) expected in January.

Community outreach efforts were highlighted, with the department actively engaging in educational campaigns about illegal dumping and promoting the use of drop-off centers for waste disposal. These initiatives aim to inform residents about legal disposal options and the consequences of illegal dumping.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city's commitment to enhancing solid waste services while managing resources effectively and engaging with the community to promote responsible waste management practices.