The first step toward implementation of Manteca’s universal 96-gallon cart system for garbage, green/organic waste and recycling starts in mid-November.

That is when city crews the week of Nov. 16 will start switching out all existing 32 and 64 gallon blue recycling and brown garbage carts still in use and replacing them with 96 gallon carts.

The process could take a number of weeks to complete.

That is why people with the smaller and medium carts who may not place them curbside — or in the alley if that is where their collection service tales place —  are asked to place them out regardless of whether they are full.

A number of residents, for example, don’t place the smaller blue recycling carts out on collection days every two weeks unless they are full.

Those residents are being asked to place their smaller carts out on scheduled collection days until such time crews are able to switch them out for the 96 gallon carts.

The initial impact for those getting larger carts will be ability to  place between 50 and 200 percent more items for recycling or garbage depending whether they are going from 32 gallon or 64 gallon carts to 96 gallon carts.

Eventually blue and green carts will be picked up on a weekly basis along with brown carts. When that occurs, it will allow more recycling and green waste capacity for all households.

The new garbage rates start going into effect in November. They will start appearing on municipal utility bills mailed in Decembers.

The rates will reflect a universal service charge of $50.92 a month for all households instead of a sliding charge in place now of $30.67, $32.61, and $34.33 that corresponds to respective brown cart sizes of 32, 64, and 96 gallons.

Peni Basalusalu, the deputy director of public works that oversees the solid waste division, said the weekly instead of every-two-week collection of recycling and organic/yard waste in the blue and green carts that are factored into the new rates won’t start being implemented until around mid-2024.

That is because the city needs to collect funds to help pay for additional collection trucks being ordered as well as additional staff.

When the stepped up service goes into effect, it will be first with recycling in the blue carts and then fully implemented with yard/organic waste in the green carts.

 The two smaller sizes are being eliminated  — with an asterisk — as the city switches to a universal 96-cart system for garbage, recyclables, and  green waste.

The asterisk is for those households on a case-by-case basis that may be allowed to keep smaller carts due to physical limitations such as gate widths.

Those exceptions, when they are made, will not result in a break from the new rates.

The only ones receiving breaks will be qualifying low-income senior households.

The current monthly charge for 96 gallon carts is $34.33.

It will go to $50.92 on Nov. 16, 2023 through Dec. 31. 2024. That is a monthly hike of $16.59 or just under 50 percent.

Then, during the next three years, annual rate hikes of 7 percents means:

*On Jan. 1, 2025, the rate will go up $3.76 to $54.68.

*On Jan. 1, 2026, the rate will go up $4.04 to $58.72.

*On Jan. 1, 2027, the rate will go up $4.35 to $63.07.

The last rate increase was in 2016.

The rate hikes reflect ongoing labor, equipment replacement cost, as well as landfill tipping fees that are going up by more than 200 percent per ton.

It also includes implementing state mandated food waste diversions program to reduce organic waste that is being buried plus other changes that will require the city to expand its existing workforce and truck fleet by at least a third in order to implement.

The regional average for 96-gallon service is currently $58.27 compared to Manetas’s initial rate hike of $50.92  next month and $63.07 when the four-step rate hike is fully implemented in 2027.

Cities that already have higher rates than Manteca are Stockton, $50.70; Sacramento, $74.19; Tracy, $74.19; and Lodi, $100.37.

Ripon is currently lower at $36.

Once Manteca’s new rate schedule goes into effect, Modesto at $45.85 and Lathrop at $43.02 will be lower.

None of the other cities, however, have established rates to reflect an increase in recycling mandated by the state. That means all of the other cities mentioned will see rate increases in the coming year or so to cover the cost of state mandates.

Lathrop and Ripon are in the process of working toward meeting the new state standards.

Manteca, unlike surrounding cities, has its own solid waste collection service. The other cities hire private contractors.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com