Environmental Services protects and restores natural resources, keeping our city clean, safe and livable through garbage and recycling pickup, wastewater treatment, household hazardous waste disposal, protection from stormwater pollution and much more. We believe everything we do supports healthy neighborhoods and a thriving Puget Sound, leaving a better Tacoma for all.
Solid Waste Management provides garbage, recycling and yard/food waste services for about 53,000 single-family homes and numerous multifamily, business and industrial customers. The utility also operates a full-service transfer station, with a recycling center and household hazardous waste collection facility, as well as a residential bulk item disposal service, Call-2-Haul.
The water that leaves our streets, yards and driveways flows directly – untreated – to lakes, streams, rivers and Puget Sound. Stormwater Management concentrates on preventing pollution before it reaches our waters and restoring sites already affected by industry and urbanization. The utility maintains more than 500 miles of public stormwater pipe, 22,000-plus storm drains (catch basins,) four pump stations and numerous detention ponds/structures.
The Environmental Services Department operates and maintains two wastewater treatment plants, 45 pumping stations and more than 700 miles of sewer pipe. The treatment plants clean about 10 billion gallons of wastewater each year, ensuring that only clean water is released into Commencement Bay. The utility works with Stormwater Management and property owners to reduce sewer backups and flooding. Biosolids from the treatment process are transformed into TAGRO premium soil products.