Solid Waste Billing FAQ

• Why did CUD decide to do this?

  The City has been studying options for a long-term, solid waste management solution and approached Consolidated Utility District (CUD) for assistance. CUD agreed to manage billing for a few reasons …

  • The strong relationships between the City and County
  • The closeness of our customer bases
  • To help the City reach its goal of removing waste collection from the general fund

• Why is this charge appearing on my water bill?

  Because you already receive water service through CUD, it made sense to include the fee on our existing billing statements.

• What if the charge doesn’t appear on my bill?

  The fee won’t apply to all CUD customers. It will apply to a group of about 17,500 customers.

• How was $7.50 chosen as the amount?

  The City wanted to keep the fee as low as possible while still collecting a per-month, per-container charge. At some point in the future, it’s possible the City may have no choice but to raise the fee to cover increasing operations and transportation costs.

• What if I want to find my own garbage pickup company?

  Having the City manage pickup actually makes things easier on our customers in three important ways …

  • Having one provider removes the need for townhomes and businesses to open contracts with waste removal companies.
  • This method reduces the number of trucks on the road servicing waste pickup. Each solid waste garbage truck produces 20 times the same carbon emissions as the average U.S. home.
  • The $5 fee is a fraction of the typical cost of waste pickup.

• Where will the garbage be taken?

  We’re looking at areas far from Rutherford County. The most likely sites right now are Camden, Tenn. (roughly 110 miles away) and Huntsville, Ala.

• How was this decided?

  Elected commissioners opted to keep the Middle Point Landfill at its current size and not expand it. That means we have to look ahead to the eventual closure of that landfill – which is expected in less than 10 years. When the landfill does close, the city will begin shipping waste out of the county.

  The rapid growth of Murfreesboro drives changes like these. This year, Moneymagazine ranked Murfreesboro #19 on its list of Best Places to Live in America. So our quality of life is being nationally recognized. However, solid waste disposal is the single largest environment concern facing Murfreesboro – and we have to plan smartly for our city’s continuing boom.