3/7/2024
1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
REVIEW OF SOLID WASTE RATE FUND
City Council
March 19, 2024
Public Works Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 WHAT WE DO
Serve 63,484 homes weekly.
Sweep 800+ miles of streets,
twice a month.
Ensure compliance with
State regulations
Provide community services
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2 RiversideCA.gov
3 HISTORY OF RATE INCREASES
PERCENT INCREASEYEAR
0.00%2008/09
0.10%2009/10
1.00%2010/11
1.00%2011/12
1.00%2012/13
1.90%2013/14
1.10%2014/15
0.70%2015/16
2.00%2016/17
2.00%2017/18
9.80%2018/19
3.20%2019/20
7.70%2020/21
6.70%2021/22
4.70%2022/23
Rates
remained at
or below 2%
for 10 years
RiversideCA.gov
4 THE WHY
• China no longer accepts recycled
goods
• Prior to China’s ban, the City made money
on recycling
• In FY 22/23, the City paid $2.3M to recycle
• In FY 23/24 Q1/Q2, the City paid nearly
$1.0M to recycle
• Recycling is mandatory in California
CHINA NATIONAL SWORD POLICY
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5 THE WHY
OTHER STATE REGULATIONS
Tequesquite Landfill maintenance & reporting:
• $1.2M gas collection system and flare
• SC-AQMD Compliance
California Air Resources Board
Advanced Clean Fleet Regulation:
• 50% of new vehicles must now be ZEV
• 100% of new vehicles must be ZEV by 2027
RiversideCA.gov
6 NEW 5-YEAR RATE SCHEDULE
• Sept. 2023 - City Council
approved 5-year rate plan
for residential solid waste
• Directed staff to return to
Council with
– Metrics on Refuse Program
– Study offering alternate
can sizes
– Solid Waste SHARE program
– Annual review of Solid
Waste financials
Rate
IncreaseYear
2.92%
Nov. 2023 – June 2024
[Implemented 11/23]
7.50%July 2024 – June 2025
6.50%July 2025 – June 2026
6.50%July 2026 – June 2027
6.50%July 2027 – June 2028
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7 COMPARISON BY CITY
NOTE: Only 26% of agencies
surveyed include street
sweeping services in solid waste
rates – Riverside does. Many
cities continue to struggle with
SB 1383 compliance.
RiversideCA.gov
8 UPDATED REVENUE & EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS
Approved rate plan:
Achieves fiscal sustainability
Ends General Fund subsidies
Invest in Needed Resources to
Provide Timely and
Consistent Service
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9 VARIABLES
• Updated projections based on only a few months of actual budget data
• Solid Waste Fund projected to operate in deficit for next two fiscal years
• Other variables that may affect projections:
o Regulatory requirements associated with SB 1383
o Annual Consumer Price Index
o Market volatility and a forecasted mild recession
o Development of the City’s Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) Transition Plan
o Electric fleet and infrastructure costs
o Labor negotiations in 2025
o Expiration of the Transfer Services Agreement in 2029 RiversideCA.gov
10 SOLID WASTE SHARE PROGRAM
December 2023 – City Council approved 5-year Solid
Waste SHARE Program
Year 5Year 4Year 3Year 2Year 1
$7.12$5.75$4.46$3.24$1.94Solid Waste
$6.25$5.75$5.25$4.75$4.25Water
$30.00$28.00$26.00$24.00$20.00Electric
$43.37$39.50$35.71$31.99$26.19Total
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11 STUDY OFFERING ALTERNATE BIN SIZES
• January 2024 – Mobility & Infrastructure
Committee received progress report on
study of offering smaller residential solid
waste bins
• Directed staff to continue work and
return within 6 months
RiversideCA.gov
12 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
1. Reduce Service
Delays
– Aging fleet
– Vacant positions
– New drivers
– Average day – 6
routes are missed
569
680
934
726
891
0 200
400
600
800
1000
2019 2020 2021 2022* 2023
Average Monthly Service Requests
for Missed Can
*Burrtec provided route coverage from May – December 2022 11 12
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13 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
2. Replace Aging Fleet
26 3
1 8
1 10
1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Automated Side-Loader
Rear-loader
Roll-off Truck
Snapshot of Solid Waste Vehicle Disposition
In Service With Fleet Out of Service
RiversideCA.gov
14 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
2. Replace Aging Fleet
– July 2021 – 3 new Refuse trucks ordered
Put into service December 2022
– July 2023 – 10 new vehicles ordered
1 CNG Flatbed (expected Q2 2024)
2 CNG Roll-off Trucks (expected Q2 2024)
5 CNG Street Sweepers (expected Q3 2024)
2 CNG Rear-Loading Refuse Trucks (expected Q3 2024)
10 CNG Automated Side-Loading Refuse Trucks (expected Q4 2024)
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15 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
3. Delivery of replacement solid waste bins
– Approx. 4,200 requests annually for replacement bin
– COVID supply chain impacts affected availability of materials used to manufacture bins
– Sizeable backlog grew quickly
– Bin availability increased in mid-2023
– 2023 = 6,900 bins delivered
– Jan & Feb 2024 = 2,400+ bins delivered
– Expect to be caught up by April/May 2024
RiversideCA.gov
16 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
4. Fill Vacant Positions
*Includes 5 new Relief Driver Positions
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17 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
5. Address Technology Deficiencies
– February 2024 – Council approved
agreement with Rubicon Global LLC
• In-cab technology and software system
to
– Replace paper processes
– Provide route optimization
– Provide real-time route information
(service provided, service not provided
due to containers not place out,
contaminated load)
RiversideCA.gov
18 REFUSE PROGRAM METRICS
6. Comply with State Requirements
– Rescue edible food from landfills
• November 2023 – City Council approved agreement
with ReCreate
• SW funds portion of 2 Environmental Compliance
Inspectors
– Businesses required to recycle organic waste
• City current at 99.18% compliance
– Increase recycling
• CalRecycle Pilot Program / Recycle From Home
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19 STABILIZING SOLID WASTE
Rates
Compliance
Personnel Vehicles
Technology
Service
RiversideCA.gov
20 Strategic Priority 4 – Environmental Stewardship
Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government
Cross-Cutting Threads
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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11 RiversideCA.gov
21 That the City Council:
1. Receive a report on the financial status of the City’s Solid Waste Fund; and
2. Confirm support for Solid Waste Rates Schedule as
adopted on September 19, 2023.
RECOMMENDATIONS
21