The Oklahoma City Utilities Department completed an assessment of storm damaged areas impacted by the tornadoes that hit the metro on Nov. 3. 

Based upon the amount and type of damage noted during the assessment, heavily impacted areas have been determined. A map detailing the designated roughly 45 square miles is provided below.

Residential trash customers in the designated collection areas can set all* their storm debris at the curb for collection, including construction materials, trees and limbs cut into lengths of 10 feet or shorter and fencing.

Items that easily break into pieces may be left behind as they are too small for the machinery to collect.

*For information on restricted items (e.g., hazardous materials), review the details below.

Debris collection timing

The first of two rounds of storm debris collection begins Monday, Nov. 18. The first round is expected to be completed by the end of the first week of December.

The second round is expected to be completed by early January.

Five contractor trucks will be used for collection. Due to the amount and type of damage, all trucks will begin in the impacted area near SE 89th and Sooner Road. Once they have completed the first pass of that area, they will move to the SE 59th and Triple X area. Once the first pass has been completed, they will repeat the entire process for the second pass.

To minimize disruption during Thanksgiving, collection efforts will stop at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 27, and will resume on Monday, Dec. 2. Additionally, crews will not collect debris Dec. 24-26. Further timing updates will be announced as needed.

The storm debris collection will replace the regular bulky waste schedule for the designated storm collection areas.

Trash and recycling collection in the areas will continue as usual.

Residential customers without storm damage

For those within the designated collection areas who did not sustain storm damage, in lieu of referring to your regularly scheduled bulky collection date, bulky waste should be set out at the curbside for collection during the first and second pass of storm debris collection. The bulky waste items should be set out and left out. Regular bulky waste collection set-out guidelines (i.e. accepted materials) remain the same. Standard collection fees apply for piles greater than 4 cubic yards.

Designated storm debris collection areas 

The special collection is only for residential trash customers in the designated collection areas displayed on the map above. People can also use the map to track collection efforts.

Hazardous materials

Products considered hazardous, such as pool chemicals, motor oil, gasoline, antifreeze and pesticides, should only be disposed of through the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center located at 1621 S Portland Ave. The Collection Center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. For a full list of accepted items, go to okc.gov/hhw.

Freon-containing items

Appliances that contain freon, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, cannot be collected as part of the special storm debris collection. For City crews to collect these types of items, customers are asked to call Utilities Customer Service at (405) 297-2833 to request the items be collected. The items will then be scheduled for a separate collection. Per City ordinance, doors must be removed from refrigerators and freezers.

Private contractor waste excluded

Any debris placed at the curb by private contractors will not be collected by City crews. This does not apply to those who received assistance through nonprofit organizations and volunteers who have manually set storm debris at the curb.

Questions?

For more information related to this special storm debris collection, contact Utilities Customer Service Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at (405) 297-2833.