Middletown Township residents would pay as much as 75% more if they want to continue getting their trash picked up manually twice a week.
A move to once-a-week pickup with automated trucks would render a hike of 19% to 28%.
That’s the message from municipal officials as the board of supervisors is poised to award a new five-year contract next month.
The township says it recently received bids from three companies, with options including reducing pickup to once a week.
The current provider, Waste Management, offered the lowest bids for all options, township officials say.
Residents of single-family homes currently pay $401 annually. To maintain the existing level of service — twice a week manual collection — residents would pay between $682 and $700 per year. That represents an increase of 70% to 75%.
If the township were to choose twice a week collection with automated trucks, residents would pay between $644 to $660 per year, a 60% to 65% increase.
Once a week automated collection would mean an annual household fee of $476 to $512, which is a 19% to 28% hike.
The range in prices takes into account potential changes to bulk waste pickup. The cost for changing collection from one item per week to two items per month would result in the lower figures.
Township Manager Stephanie Teoli Kuhls has explained that the cost of collection has increased dramatically as a result of several factors, including the recycling market, equipment costs and staffing.
Due to the small streets and difficulty storing large trash carts, the neighborhoods of Tareyton, Hollybrooke and the Villas at Middletown will remain with manual collection. However a change to once a week collection there is possible.
The supervisors are expected to make a decision at their Aug. 12 meeting. Before then, they are soliciting opinions via a survey, which has been sent to residents who have expressed interest. The survey is also available on the township website, middletownbucks.org.
The township has already heard residents’ concerns over potential changes. One is that 96-gallon receptacles used with automated pickup could be too big. But there is a provision in the bid specs that would require the hauler to provide 65-gallon containers upon request after the first quarter of 2015.
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