NewsWest 9
MIDLAND - Imagine a sea of garbage bags, cardboard boxes, wooden debris and even mattresses spilling into the area where you live and your children play.
For residents living at the Waterford Ranch Apartments in Midland, this is the reality.
"I'm disgusted, especially being right here," Apartment Resident, Brandy Breaux, said. "It's disgusting. None of the residents that live here, that pay rent to live here, should have to deal with that."
Breaux tipped us off about the pileup. The complex has a pickup agreement with Duncan Disposal, who arrived shortly after we did. Those workers said they couldn't believe it, either.
Duncan Disposal workers on-scene told NewsWest 9 that there's one 32-yard brown compactor for the entire complex that they usually take all of the trash out of but they can't even get to that container lately because of the wall of trash that is spilled out in the way.
There's also a sign saying anyone who dumps trash on the ground will be fined $100 and residents question its enforcement.
Duncan Disposal told NewsWest 9 their agreement with the complex is an on-call one, not a regular pickup.
They said the complex has to call them to take care of an overflow and they received no such call before Tuesday.
Duncan said communication needs to be improved for this incident but Breaux said there's always been a pickup problem.
"They'll say 'Oh, it's going to be this day or it's going to be this day,'" she said. "This is almost a weekly thing."
Now Midland health inspectors are jumping in.
"Accumulation of debris, number one. Number two: you're going to have flies," Midland Health Manager, Celestino Garcia, said. "You might have some mosquitoes also and obviously you don't want critters getting in the trash and so that's not acceptable."
The inspectors will determine what the complex needs to do and what punishment will be used if they don't comply.
"We'll file the process legally, fine the property, property owner," Garcia said.
Breaux told NewsWest 9 as of 4 p.m., the day we reported the story, all of the trash was finally picked up.
Duncan Disposal called the complex after we brought our report to them.
They said the complex told them they won't be pursuing any increased trash pickup.
