Trash, Debris and Recovery after Harvey in The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (Saturday, September 2, 2017, 4 p.m.) – The Woodlands Fire Department, Township officials and both Harris and Montgomery County continue to monitor the effects of Harvey on The Woodlands. Efforts are underway to help The Woodlands get back to normal and to assist those in need.

TRASH AND DEBRIS
Important Information for residents of the Village of Creekside Park:
The Woodlands Township has learned Harris County will begin collecting storm debris in unincorporated areas which include The Woodlands residences in the Village of Creekside Park. While the service has been announced to begin Monday, September 4, 2017, the schedule for Creekside Park has not been announced. Harris County Officials said they expect to make multiple passes through neighborhoods over time.

A special hotline has been established for information and to document your residence:

713-274-3880 for Harris County debris removal

While a webpage has not been developed as of Saturday afternoon, September 2, 2017, more information is anticipated to be uploaded here: www.eng.hctx.net Additional information can be found on Facebook by searching “Harris County Residential Debris and Damage Assessment.”

Operators at the hotline number have said debris needs to be sorted and separated into four (4) categories: 1. Landscaping, 2. Drywall/carpet/trim, 3. Appliances, 4. Electronics.

All items need to be curbside, but not in the roadway.

Montgomery County officials approve storm debris removal contracts
At a special meeting on September 1, 2017, the Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved contracts for removal of storm debris in the county, which includes parts of The Woodlands located in the county.

The contractor is expected to begin debris removal work on Sunday, September 3, 2017.
For more information, go to the Montgomery County website at https://mctxoem.org/. At this page, you can find a link for Debris Pickup.

Additional information about Storm Debris
The Counties of Montgomery and Harris manage all storm debris removal. Waste Management will NOT pick up storm debris. Please place the debris at the curb, but NOT in the street.

NEW INFORMATION FOR ALL RESIDENTS:
While Waste Management curbside trash and yard waste service has resumed, and most services are on a two-day delay, resuming normal service on Monday, September 4, 2017, there will be NO curbside recycling services through the week of September 4, 2017, due to manpower shortages. Yard waste and trash will return to normal schedule on Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, including pickup on Monday. Friday pickups from Sept. 1 are scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017. Thursday pickups are occurring today, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017.

The Precinct 3 Recycling Center is open Sunday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.

GENERAL TOWNSHIP UPDATES
Township offices are open regular business hours and will be closed Labor Day.

The Woodlands Township Board of Directors will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss storm-related matters. The meeting will be held in the Township Board Chambers, 2801 Technology Forest Blvd., 77381.

Labor Day in The Woodlands event scheduled for this Sunday at Waterway Square has been cancelled.

No curbside recycling next week. Please see above information under Trash and Debris.

The Woodlands Express will resume full, normal operations on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, at all three Park and Ride facilities. Operations at the Sawdust Park and Ride, which sustained damage during the storm, will be handled utilizing temporary terminal facilities until repairs have been completed. Follow on Twitter @TownshipTransit. The Twitter feed is viewable without a Twitter account at www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/transportation on the right side of the page.

Town Center Trolleys are operational.

Lake Woodlands and the boat houses are open.

Development Standards and Residential Design Review Committees are meeting on their usual schedules. Visit the Township Calendar for details.

Township swimming pools, Recreation Center at Bear Branch Park
Pools and spraygrounds opened today, Saturday, and recreation programs have resumed at the Recreation Center at Bear Branch Park. Pools open include Cranebrook, Falconwing, Harper’s Landing, Lakeside, Ridgewood, Sawmill, Shadowbend, Wendtwoods, and the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center. For complete information, please check out https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3829

Blood Drive
The Woodlands Township will host a blood drive for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center on Tuesday, September 5, 2017, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at The Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Drive, 77389.

MAIL
All mail service is operational and any outgoing mail delivered to the post office will go out.
For postal service updates, please visit https://about.usps.com/news/service-alerts/welcome.htm

FEMA
The Township has received notice of the President’s FEMA Declaration for Montgomery and Harris Counties. This declaration will allow county governments to initiate debris removal programs and provide reimbursement of certain emergency expenses incurred by local government during the emergency and will allow individuals to start filing for emergency assistance.

Apply online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Constituents may call the registration phone number at 1-800-621-3362; those who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
For Harris County clean-up assistance, contact CrisisCleanup.org, visit HarrisRecovery.org, or call 1-800-451-1954 to report your need.

MOSQUITOES
Within days of flooding, mosquito eggs will hatch and adult mosquitoes that survived the storm will lay new eggs. Within a couple of weeks, mosquito populations will greatly increase. Most of these mosquitoes are considered nuisance mosquitoes and will not spread viruses.Studies show that hurricanes and floods do not typically cause an increase in viruses spread by mosquitoes, like Zika or West Nile, however please take precautions to protect yourself and your family..

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. Always follow the product label instructions.
Once a week, empty items that hold water like tires, buckets, planters, toys, birdbaths, flowerpot saucers, or trash containers. Shake out tarps. Mosquitoes lay eggs near water.

Treat containers that cannot be emptied with non-toxic Mosquito Dunks ®

Keep mosquitoes out of your home. Install or repair and use window and door screens. Do not leave doors propped open.

For additional information, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website, https://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/mosquitoes-and-hurricanes.html

SCHOOLS
Conroe ISD, Magnolia ISD, Tomball ISD, will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Please check your school district’s web pages, Twitter and Facebook accounts for specific updates.

SHELTERS
Shelter, volunteer and donation information is changing on an hourly basis. Please visit www.woodlandsinterfaith.org to learn more about shelters in The Woodlands and what you can do to help.

DRINKING WATER SAFE in The Woodlands, despite rumors
Despite numerous rumors throughout social media, the two major municipal water districts serving residents in The Woodlands report water is safe to drink.

ROAD CONDITIONS
Go to https://mctxoem.org/ or www.HoustonTranstar.org for alerts and advisories including road closures.

CURFEWS – YES OR NO?
Despite many rumors on social media, there is no curfew issued by Montgomery County regarding the storm.

However, both Harris and Montgomery Counties have curfews for under 17 years of age between 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m. seven days a week. Established by the Harris and Montgomery County Commissioners Courts, the curfew ordinance helps to ensure the safety of our youth and to provide accountability of the youth and their parents for the activities in our community. Each violation of the curfew ordinance is punishable by a fine up to $500.

In addition, it is an offense for an owner, operator or employee of an establishment to allow a minor to remain on the premises of an establishment in violation of the curfew hours.

POWER
Please visit www.entergystormcenter.com for power outage updates in the Entergy-served area, and CenterPoint Energy website for updates for areas served by CenterPoint Energy. Very few power outages are left in The Woodlands, and officials are working to restore it as quickly as possible.

PETS
Montgomery County Animal Shelter has taken in animals lost during the storm. If you are missing a pet, please check https://petharbor.com/harvey.html as well as https://www.facebook.com/mcaspin/ for information and photos of missing pets as well as needs for donations, fosters and volunteers.

For additional information, visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov

Source: The Woodlands Township

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