- Home
- Departments
- Public Works
- Solid Waste
Solid Waste
About Solid Waste
The Solid Waste Division of Watertown’s Public Works Department is dedicated to maintaining a clean, sustainable, and debris-free community. We provide reliable curbside collection of garbage, recycling, and yard waste, while the Watertown Regional Landfill offers environmentally safe, cost-effective solid waste disposal for the city and surrounding areas.
As a Regional Subtitle D Solid Waste Facility, the landfill promotes responsible waste management by maximizing its capacity through programs like yard waste composting, tree and untreated wood chipping, and recycling of metals, plastics, cardboard, and paper. Our team’s mission is to deliver exceptional service with a commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and the well-being of our community. Together, we can protect natural resources, promote public health, and keep Watertown clean and green.
Hours: Monday-Saturday from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Landfill Resources
Landfill Disposal Procedure
Click on the steps below to learn more about each part of the disposal procedure.
You will be asked to identify the contents of your load so you can be directed to the correct site(s) for disposal. Anyone unloading material in the wrong area will be required to clean up the material and take it to the correct area for disposal. Scavenging is prohibit. Drop boxes are available near the scale so small loads can be disposed of without requiring the customer to drive into the disposal cell.
Once you have weighed in, the attendant will turn the traffic light to green and you may now enter the yard to unload at the correct site(s). All loads are to remain covered and secured until after weigh-in. Once unloaded you must drive back onto the scale to weigh-out.
After the light turns green pull over to the cashier window and the tipping fee will be collected. Anyone dumping material in the wrong area will be required to clean up the material and take it to the correct site for disposal or be liable for the associated penalties and/or cleanup fees.
Disposal Procedures
All loads entering the landfill are subject to inspection to screen out prohibited materials. Individuals who dump any prohibited materials in the landfill are subject to fines, penalties, removal and cleanup costs associated with the incident.
Once unloaded you must drive back onto the scale to weigh-out. After the light changes green, pull over to the cashier window and the fee will be collected. Cash, checks, debit or credit cards are accepted. A 3.5% user fee will be added for credit/debit card use.
Load Policy
Incoming loads must be adequately secured to prevent any scattering of waste upon any roadway. The tipping fee rate for loads not adequately secured is double. All loads must be secured, regardless of content, including appliances, trees or branches and concrete, until after they are weighed.
Landfill Cell Access
Access to the Watertown Regional Landfill cell is limited to hydraulic and electric tipping trailers or full-eject vehicles only. Loads which must be hand unloaded will be directed to the public self-haul containers.
Personal Protective Equipment Required: A hard hat and hi-visibility vest or other ANSI approved garment is required when accessing the Landfill cell. PPE is available for purchase at the landfill
Accepted and Not Acceptable Materials
*Review the following materials below to know what is acceptable or to dispose of at the Watertown Regional Landfill.
Not Acceptable:
- Liquids
- Lead acid batteries or dry cell/lithium batteries
- Tires
- Waste oil
- Mercury products
- Fluorescent Bulbs
- Untreated Medical Waste
Do not place paint, anti-freeze, garden chemicals or other hazardous liquids in residential garbage.
Paint cans must be empty or the contents must be completely dried. Small quantities of liquid latex (water-based) paint may be mixed with an absorbent floor dry or cat litter and disposed of in the garbage. No oil-based paint.
Acceptable:
- White Goods – Appliances that contain refrigerants, such as refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners, will incur an environmental surcharge in addition to the standard disposal fee. This surcharge supports the safe and responsible removal of refrigerants.
Acceptable:
- Plastic
- milk jugs, plastic pop bottles, dish soap and shampoo bottles). Remove all caps and lids and discard them in your garbage; LIDS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE
- Metal
- Aerosol cans, completely empty with caps
removed. Aluminum, steel and bi-metal cans, no need to remove labels
Aerosol cans - completely empty with caps removed. Aluminum, steel and bi-metal cans; not necessary to remove labels
- Aerosol cans, completely empty with caps
- Cardboard
- Clean corrugated and non-corrugated
(cereal boxes, soda boxes, cracker boxes, etc.). Break down large boxes to prevent plugging the container
- Clean corrugated and non-corrugated
- Paper
- Newspapers, coupon pages, glossy inserts and flyers, magazines, catalogs, office paper, computer paper and phone books
Not Acceptable:
- glass containers
- neon paper or padded envelopes
- scrap pie tins, tin foil or paint cans
- items soiled with food or oil
- waxed cardboard, milk or egg cartons
- ice cream buckets, styrofoam cups and butter or yogurt containers
- hazardous chemical, antifreeze, oil, pesticide, herbicide or fertilizer containers.
For excess materials, please visit: Dependable Sanitation Recycling at 717 11th St. NW. 886-3006
Acceptable:
- grass clippings
- leaves
- garden vegetation
Not Acceptable:
- *branches
- *wood
- bushes
*Residents may place branches or wood in the BLUE refuse container as long as the lid closes, or bring these materials to the landfill and pay the appropriate tipping fee.
Christmas trees must be stripped of all lights, ornaments, and decorations will be picked up for the two weeks following Christmas on normal collection days. Christmas trees should not be placed in plastic bags.
After this period, Christmas trees will need to be brought to the landfill by the resident, and the appropriate tipping fee will be charged.
Curbside Collection
An automated truck empties all of the containers so lids should be closed and the handle must face towards the house. Obstacles in the way will not allow the arm to reach the container for dumping. Do not place the container close to any obstructions such as vehicles, mailboxes, or another container.
Residents must place all contents in the container. Do not overfill, pack your container or leave on the ground around the container. Workers will only collect garbage in the container. The City recommends garbage be placed in sealed plastic bags to reduce odors, litter and keep insects away.
Residents should place their containers out the night before their collection day to avoid being missed. Collection routes begin at 5 a.m. and, although trucks usually come at a similar time each week, there is no set time when they will cover a certain area of town. Trucks are not rerouted to pick up containers set out late. Ordinance 11:0404 – b.4. states: All solid waste material containers placed on the alley or boulevard shall be removed on the same day of collection.
Containers
The City of Watertown provides curbside garbage and recycling collection services to residents. To ensure efficient service, containers should be placed at the curb or alley the night before your scheduled collection day, as routes begin at 5 a.m. Collection times can vary, and trucks will not return for containers placed out late. All containers must be removed from the curb or alley on the same day of collection, as required by Ordinance 11.0404-b.4.
Garbage should be placed in the blue City-provided 95-gallon container, with the lid fully closed and the handle facing your house. Containers must be clear of obstructions such as vehicles, mailboxes, or other objects to allow automated trucks to access them. Garbage must fit entirely inside the container; no additional materials placed outside will be collected. Overfilled containers may incur additional fees. Placing garbage in sealed plastic bags is recommended to reduce odors, litter, and pests.
Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as garbage. The tan 95-gallon recycling container is provided by the City at no additional cost, and residents may request additional containers. Recyclables should be placed loose in the container, with no items bagged. Refer to the collection calendar to determine your recycling schedule.
Yard Waste
Yard waste is collected in the green 95-gallon containers by an automated side-loading truck. Yard waste containers are picked up weekly on the same day as your garbage collection during yard waste season. Dates typically begin in early April and typically end in late November. These dates are announced in the local media. To find out which week your yard waste is picked up, then please review the Refuse & Recycling manual.
To Purchase a Container:
- Call the Watertown Regional Landfill at (605) 882-6219 or the Finance office (605) 882-6203 to pay with credit/debit card over the phone. Containers will be delivered approximately one week after payment.
- Visit the Landfill or the Finance office at City Hall to pay with cash, check, or credit/debit card. You may pick up the container at the Landfill or have it scheduled to be delivered to your residence.
- Complete an online webform to request a new container(s). Click here to complete the request form.
Residents are allowed to purchase more than one container. There is no additional charge on your utility bill for yard waste collection.
ONLY grass clippings, leaves, and garden vegetation are placed in the green 95-gallon container. NO branches, bushes, or wood are allowed in yard waste containers. Those materials DO NOT compost well.
Holidays
If a holiday occurs or is observed on your collection day, we will not collect your garbage, yard waste, or recycling material on that day. On a Monday holiday, your materials will be collected on Friday of the previous week. On a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday holiday, your materials will be collected on Friday of the same week.
| Holiday | Date | New Collection Date |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Wednesday, January 1, 2025 | Friday, January 3, 2025 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 20, 2025 | Friday, January 17, 2025 |
| President's Day | Monday, February 17, 2025 | Friday, February 14, 2025 |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 26, 2025 | Friday, May 23, 2025 |
| Juneteenth | Thursday, June 19, 2025 | Friday, June 20, 2025 |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 1, 2025 | Friday, August 29, 2025 |
| Native American Day | Monday, October 13, 2025 | Friday, October 10, 2025 |
| Veteran's Day | Tuesday, November 11, 2025 | Friday, November 14, 2025 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 27, 2025 | Friday, November 28, 2025 |
| Christmas Day | Thursday, December 25, 2025 | Friday, December 26, 2025 |
Compost
Compost is a specialty fertilizer used to improve the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil to which it is applied. Due to the homeowner's use of pesticides and herbicides, small amounts of these products may be present in the compost. The City makes no expressed or implied claims for this product other than what is contained in the label.
Compost is available to the public at the Watertown Regional Landfill for personal use. Each Watertown resident may receive up to 2 tons (4,000 lbs.) per year at no charge by showing a utility bill stub for their current residence. There is a charge of $20 per ton for additional material or if a utility bill is not presented. Non-residents may purchase compost at a cost of $20 per ton.
Compost is available during all operating hours at the Landfill. Residents are encouraged to load compost themselves. Please come prepared with appropriate tools and equipment. A loading service is available for a fee of $25.00 per resident.