Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Watertown
Trash Day
Trash collection runs Monday through Friday depending on your street. Residents can verify their collection day using the city's DPW street directory or online map.
Recycling
Recycling is collected bi-weekly on your scheduled trash day (designated as Week 1 or Week 2).
Yard Waste
Seasonal curbside brush and green waste collection runs from April through November, typically on your recycling collection day or the preceding business day.
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash tote rentals and city water/sewer services are billed on a quarterly cycle. Alternatively, residents can participate on a pay-as-you-go basis by purchasing blue trash stickers at local retail outlets.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (ACH), Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
No specific discounts listed. Curbside assistance is available for residents with documented physical limitations.
City-issued Tote (varies by size) or Resident-provided Bag Bin (Trash)
Use an official $5 Blue Refuse Sticker for a resident-provided bag (max 40 lbs, 32 gallons, no contractor bags), or rent a City Refuse Tote. Place at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household solid waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Food waste
Resident-provided bin or City-issued Recycling Tote Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is mandatory but is only collected if you actively participate in the City's refuse program (meaning you use a tote or set out a stickered bag at least once every six weeks).
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and mixed paper
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Rigid plastic containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Hazardous waste
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Food waste
Yard Waste Bin
Place at the curb by 7:00 a.m. the business day BEFORE your normal trash pickup. Branches must be bundled (< 5 ft long, < 18 inches thick). Leaves/grass must be in paper bags or rigid 40 lb containers. NO plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush and tree limbs (max 4 inches diameter)
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Weeds and yard plants
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On Demand (Seasonal from April through October)
Placement
Place approved bulk items neatly at the curb only after successfully scheduling your pickup and confirming the price with the DPW.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Typical bulky household items
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires and vehicle batteries
- ✕ Blankets, pillows, and clothing
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Paints and solvents
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
Prices vary based on size and weight. DPW staff will provide an estimate or conduct a brief site visit to calculate your final collection costs before hauling.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, refuse and recycling collection may be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard waste is collected the business day prior to normal trash collection, holiday delays will shift your yard waste day accordingly. Always check the DPW schedule during holiday weeks.
Refuse and Recycling must always be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your designated pick-up day, regardless of holiday shifts.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to MarchWatertown's heavy lake-effect snowfalls require clear roads for plowing. Keep your refuse totes and stickered bags safely out of the street and sidewalks to prevent them from being buried, damaged, or knocked over by passing snowplows.
Spring/Summer
April to SeptemberThe city's Seasonal Brush and Green Waste collection officially kicks off in early April, along with On-Demand Bulk pickups. Remember to place your yard waste out the business day prior to your standard trash collection.
Fall
October to NovemberOctober marks the end of the seasonal On-Demand Bulk Pickup program. However, leaf and green waste collection will continue through the end of November, weather permitting, giving you plenty of time to clear out your autumn yard debris.
Local Tips & Community Info
City of Watertown DPW Refuse Operations
Residential sanitation in the City of Watertown is directly managed by the local Department of Public Works. To streamline the collection process, the city utilizes an automated truck fleet and provides standard municipal refuse carts to eligible properties. To ensure your household garbage is collected without disruption, your assigned cart must be wheeled to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. It is imperative that the container's lid is completely closed to prevent local wildlife from creating a mess and to keep rain out. The metal lifting bar must face the roadway, allowing the truck's mechanical arm to properly grab and empty the container.
Navigating Lake-Effect Snow and Winter Placement
Living in Northern New York means adapting to extreme winter weather, and waste disposal is no exception. During heavy lake-effect snowstorms, residents face specific challenges regarding bin placement. You must never place your garbage or recycling carts in the street or directly on top of towering snowbanks, as this obstructs municipal snowplows and creates severe safety hazards. Instead, homeowners are required to shovel a flat, accessible space at the end of their driveway apron or adjacent to the curb line. Bins damaged by plows due to improper street placement are generally the financial responsibility of the homeowner to replace.
Coordinating with Jefferson County Recycling Rules
Watertown aligns its recycling protocols with the broader Jefferson County solid waste guidelines. The city issues specific recycling bins that must be used for all approved materials. Residents should place rinsed glass jars, tin cans, and rigid plastic containers directly into the bin without using plastic bags. Corrugated cardboard must be broken down and flattened to a manageable size so it does not jam the collection vehicles. Any plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, or styrofoam packaging must be thrown in your regular garbage cart, as they are strictly prohibited at the regional material recovery facility.
The Annual Spring Bulk Cleanup Event
Throughout most of the year, bulky items like mattresses, couches, and broken appliances are not permitted in standard curbside collection. However, the City of Watertown hosts a highly anticipated Annual Spring Cleanup week, typically scheduled in May. During this designated period, residents can drag heavy household junk to the curb for free municipal removal. Strict volume limits apply, and materials like construction debris, tires, and liquid paints are always excluded from this event. Outside of the Spring Cleanup window, residents must haul their oversized waste to the Jefferson County Transfer Station and pay the applicable tipping fees.
Yard Debris and Storm Drain Protection
Maintaining a pristine yard in the spring and autumn requires adhering to the DPW's organic waste rules. When gathering yard clippings or autumn leaves, residents must ensure this debris never blocks sidewalk access or clogs neighborhood storm drains, which can lead to severe localized flooding. The city runs specific brush and leaf collection routes seasonally. Yard waste should be placed in biodegradable paper bags or gathered in neat, unbagged piles on the tree-lawn area, strictly depending on the current month's DPW instructions. Heavy branches must be tied in small bundles that a single worker can safely lift.
Drop-off Facilities
Town of Watertown Transfer Station
19624 Heines Road, Watertown, NY 13601
Materials Accepted
Watertown Department of Public Works
557 Newell St, Watertown, NY 13601
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time should I put my trash cart out in Watertown?
All municipal refuse and recycling carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day to guarantee collection by the automated DPW trucks.
Can I leave a couch on the curb for the garbage truck?
No, not during regular weekly service. Large items like couches are only collected during the city's Annual Spring Cleanup event. Otherwise, you must haul them to the Jefferson County Transfer Station.
How do I place my bins during a heavy snowstorm?
You must shovel a flat clearing in your driveway apron or directly behind the curb line. Never put bins in the roadway or on top of snowbanks, as they will block city plows.