To help combat litter in Fort Worth, city leaders have approved the purchase of 12 new street sweepers.
The sweepers were approved in March and are expected to arrive by the end of the year, Fort Worth Code Compliance director Brandon Bennett said Wednesday. According to Bennett, two of the 12 new sweepers will replace those already in use. The other 10 will be brand new to the city.
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WATCH HERECity council members approved the purchase of new street sweepers for up to $3.75 million.
Street sweepers help keep litter, dirt and debris off of our streets and out of our waterways, which also helps to prevent clogging of storm drains that can create localized flooding issues.
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SIGN UP “We probably needed 20 but in order to get to 20, we would have had to put a higher rate to our citizens through their environmental fees. Even higher than what we raised it to,” Bennett said Wednesday. “We also know that over time, litter is a lot like graffiti. If you leave litter out, it just attracts more litter. But if you can get it cleaned up and keep it cleaned up, then a lot of these areas will stay cleaner longer.”
According to the city of Fort Worth, public surveys have shown that residents want more action to address litter for a cleaner city. The current budget includes funding to expand litter and illegal dumping services through increased funding in the Environmental Protection Fund.
