EC Georgia News

Augusta's contractor, CERES, is actively engaged in the collection of debris across Richmond County, excluding Hephzibah and State Routes. This effort focuses on non-bagged yard debris resulting from Hurricane Helene, which residents have placed on the city's right-of-way. The public is reminded not to place debris on roadways or block private driveways.

The types of debris being collected include branches, limbs, trees, and trunks. Residents are advised not to add bagged yard waste to these piles. There are no restrictions on cut length for the debris. It is important to position the debris away from utility poles, low-hanging lines, water meters, mailboxes, and leave space for trash cans to ensure regular garbage collection continues uninterrupted.

In the upcoming days, CERES will address leaning trees, heavily damaged trees, and hanging limbs. Stumps will be left temporarily and removed later in the project. The contractor cannot enter private property for debris removal under any circumstances.

For trees that have fallen from private property into city right-of-way but have not been fully moved there by owners, CERES will cut them at the right-of-way line. Property owners must then move remaining portions into the right-of-way for subsequent collection passes.

Bagged waste is excluded from this pickup service but will be handled by normal garbage collection services. Construction or demolition debris will also not be collected during this phase; mixing it with vegetative debris could delay progress significantly. Guidance on other types of debris collection will follow after vegetative debris has been cleared.

CERES is increasing its resources daily as it addresses areas most affected by road obstructions and damage to underground infrastructure like water lines and fire hydrants. The aim is to complete all debris removal within a 90-day window using advanced technology and mapping tools to track progress across county roadways.

Residents are asked for patience as efforts continue. An announcement regarding when the "Final Pass" begins will be made at least five days in advance of its start date—this includes a weekend period—to inform residents adequately. Once completed on a street during this final pass, no further collections will occur there.