Muncie Sanitary District

On July 17th, Bureau of Water Quality (BWQ) biologists participated in the Muncie Children’s Museum’s ‘More to Explore in Muncie’ educational series, hosting “The White River Inhabitants” at Westside Park. Attendees were treated to live fish, macroinvertebrate, and mussel sampling demonstrations, and learned how BWQ biologists use these tools to monitor the health of the White River. Participants were then given the chance to get up-close with some of the aquatic life found in the river!

Today's Creature Feature is the Threeridge Mussel!

Muncie is home to a large freshwater mussel community. Threeridge is one of the most distinguishable species!

Please do not place hot or warm fireworks into any trash toters. Toters are the property of MSD and can be damaged easily by hot or smoldering fireworks.

After fireworks are completely extinguished and cooled down, you may bag them and place them in your trash toters only. PLEASE DO NOT place any fireworks into your blue recycling toters.

Thank you for your cooperation, and we hope everyone has a safe and fun Fourth of July holiday with family and friends.

*Remember all trash and recycling routes will run on schedule on 7/4/24. Please have toters on the curb by 7a that morning for pick up.

We hope everyone has a fun and safe Fourth of July! Our offices will be closed in honor of 4th of July. All trash and recycling routes will run on schedule.

Today's Creature Feature is the Winter Stonefly!

Did you know that some insects thrive in the White River even in the cold months? Winter stoneflies are one of the few insects active during low temperatures.

Recyclor and Driver Scott Albertson is out at the party in the parking lot at Union Chapel. Stop by and see them, and honk Recyclor’s horn!

Important Camp Prairie Creek Update:

Due to some transitions at the Muncie Sanitary District, we are unable to host Camp Prairie Creek for the summer of 2024. Over the next few months, we will be reevaluating our goals and capabilities, and we look forward to hosting similar programs in the future. Thank you for your understanding, and we hope all of our campers are having a great summer.

Please remember that for a box to be recycled, it needs to be flattened and cut into smaller pieces, and placed in your recycling toter. All boxes can also be flattened and dropped off at East Central Recycling (701 E Centennial Ave.) for free during regular business hours.

Should Muncie remove High St. dam? Share your opinion in the survey link below.

(high street) dam! finally. an update
If you've been keeping up, we've had two public meetings and several opportunities for online comments and discussions. The last opportunity for public input is the dam survey (link below). If you'd like to review any of the public meetings, you can find them on our website.
Survey Link: https://forms.gle/KExgqLFUtPMFE68DA
Meeting Recording Link: https://sites.google.com/view/flatland-resources/about/public-meetings

In honor and celebration of Juneteenth, all Muncie Sanitary District Offices will be closed today. All trash and recycling routes will remain on schedule. We wish everyone a safe and fun holiday with friends and family.

Need to dispose of your old mattress? We recommend dropping them off directly at East Central Recycling (701 E. Centennial Ave.) during regular business hours. All Muncie residents are allowed to drop off up to 2,000 pounds of trash a year at no cost. That DOES NOT include construction debris and material.

If you need to place your old mattresses on the curb, please DO NOT lean them up against anything so that our Peterson Truck with the large claw will be able to access it. Thank you for your assistance in helping us keep our community clean!

Light bulbs can't be recycled in your curbside recycling bins. To properly dispose of light bulbs we recommend placing them back in their cardboard container or wrapping them in a newspaper or magazine to avoid breaking. Light bulbs can be dropped off at East Central Recycling at 701 E. Centennial Ave., Monday-Friday 8a-4:30p and Saturday 8a-11:30a.

We have Recyclor at the Muncie Public Library Kick-off to Summer Reading until 4p at Maring-Hunt library. Cedric is giving out some goodies and free veggie plants donated from East Central Recycling! Stop by and say hello!

We are saddened to share that a long-time public servant, Dave Campbell, passed away on Saturday, June 1st, 2024. Dave was an incredible mechanic, friend, and employee. He devoted his life to service. He had a great sense of humor, was always kind, and was quick to help anyone who needed it. Dave graduated from Muncie Southside High School, enlisted in the US Army, and served his country during the Vietnam War Era. He worked as a municipal mechanic for over 26 years, most recently at the Muncie Sanitary District's Sanitation and Recycling facility. We are grateful for the time that we got to spend with him. He will be greatly missed, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

Dave's obituary with more information can be found at this link: https://www.thestarpress.com/obituaries/psbn0842006 "

It's important that we keep storm drains clear from leaves and other debris to prevent flooding, unwanted nutrients to our river, and expensive fixes to our storm drainage infrastructure. Please adopt your local storm drain by keeping an eye on it and removing any debris that might have accumulated on and around it.

A friendly reminder of what CAN be recycled in your recycling toter. Light bulbs, batteries, broken glass, electronics, paint, and oil can be dropped off to be recycled at East Central Recycling.

All Muncie Sanitary District offices will be closed on Monday, May 27th in honor of Memorial Day. Trash and recycling routes will remain on schedule.

We honor and remember all those who have died while serving our Country. Please have a safe Memorial Day Weekend.

Did you know pet waste is one of the many contributors of stormwater pollution that can degrade water quality?

During rainfall, pet waste left on lawns, beaches, trails, and sidewalks washes into storm drains or into water bodies. The waste and the pathogens it contains (nutrients, bacteria, parasites, and viruses) end up flowing directly into streams. Picking up after your pet is easy! When walking your pet, just make sure to bring a bag, clean up the waste, and then dispose of it in a trash can.

If you're walking along the White River check out our pet waste-stations that the BWQ installed!

To learn more visit:https://www.munciesanitary.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/PetWaste2.pdf

On this National Endangered Species Day, let’s turn our focus closer to home – to the precious yet vulnerable wildlife in Delaware County. In the heart of Indiana, our own Delaware County serves as a sanctuary to several species that teeter on the brink of extinction. These creatures, from the majestic Northern Long-Eared Bat to the Slippershell Mussel, are not just inhabitants of our county; they are vital threads in the intricate tapestry of our local ecosystem.

Here are all of the endangered species in Delaware County:

Aquatic listed species confirmed in Delaware County:
- Slippershell Mussel, State Special Concern
- Spike, State Special Concern
- Wavyrayed Lampmussel, State Special Concern
- Kidneyshell, State Special Concern
- Rainbow, State Special Concern

Non-aquatic listed species confirmed in Delaware County:
- Osprey- State Special Concern
- Bald Eagle- Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act
- Yellow-crowned Night-heron (migratory)- State Endangered
- Black-crowned Night-heron (migratory)- State Endangered
- American Bittern (migratory)- State Endangered
- Indiana Bat- State and Federally Endangered
-Eastern Red Bat- State Special Concern
- Little Brown Bat- State Endangered, Candidate for Federally Endangered
- Tri-colored Bat- State Endangered
- Northern Long-Eared Bat- State and Federally Endangered

As members of this community, it’s our shared responsibility to protect these irreplaceable beings and their habitats. Whether it’s through supporting conservation efforts, spreading awareness, or simply making wildlife-friendly choices in our daily lives, every action counts. Let’s unite this National Endangered Species Day to ensure the survival and flourishing of our local endangered species. Together, we can make a difference!

This Saturday our Spring Neighborhood Cleanup continues! On Saturday, May 18th, from 8 AM - Noon, volunteers will be cleaning up the Old West End, Morningside, East Central, and Thomas Park neighborhoods. If you would like to help or live in those neighborhoods, please contact your neighborhood association president for details. Residents of those neighborhoods can place stuff on the curb and help put it into the back of the truck when it comes by. Let's all pitch in to clean up our neighborhoods!

White River Thrives Highlight: The Rainbow Darter!

One of seven darter species found in Muncie, the Rainbow Darter is found in great abundance on the White River. During the 2023 fisheries surveys done by the BWQ, 128 Rainbow Darters were sampled at our 20 White River sites.

In Muncie, the folks do declare,
"Recycling is cool, so beware!
We sort out our trash,
With a great big splash,
And save the Earth with great care and flare!"

Their bins are a colorful sight,
With plastics and papers just right.
They reduce and reuse,
With no time to lose,
For a cleaner world, they fight the good fight.

So here's to the folks of this town,
Whose green efforts never back down.
In Muncie, you see,
They recycle with glee,
And wear their eco-crowns with renown.

This Saturday our Spring Neighborhood Cleanup begins! On Saturday, May 11th, from 8 AM - Noon, volunteers will be cleaning up the Riverside/Normal City, Whitely, McKinley, South Central, and Industry neighborhoods. If you would like to help or live in those neighborhoods, please contact your neighborhood association president for details. Residents of those neighborhoods can place stuff on the curb and help put it into the back of the truck when it comes by. Let's all pitch in to clean up our neighborhoods!

We received a lot of questions about what to do with yard waste a few weeks ago. We hope this clarifies any questions you may have.

Yard waste should be taken to East Central Recycling to be turned into mulch and kept out of the landfill. There is no charge for Muncie residents to do this. Please drop off all yard waste at East Central Recycling at 701 E Centennial Avenue M-F 8-4:30 and Sat 8-11:30.

If you are in need of bulk pickup assistance, please separate tree limbs, brush, and leaves from other large items placed on the curb. A separate truck picks up such organic matter so it can be composted, mulched, and kept from going to the landfill.

Please be sure these items are unobstructed from mailboxes, telephone poles, and overhead power lines. Sections of trees, not exceeding 6 feet in length and 4 inches in diameter, stacked neatly at the curb will be collected by MSD on the customer’s regular trash day.

Any tree that is topped, pruned, or felled by a contractor or sub-contractor will not be the responsibility of MSD. The customer shall be solely responsible for the removal of any and all such sections of trees.

Friendly reminder not to place recycling into bags. Please place recycling directly into your recycling toter!

Did you know we can replace broken toter lids? If you need to request a new toter, replacement toter, or need a new lid please call our Sanitation and Recycling Department at 765-747-4865. If additional toters are needed they may be leased through the Sewage Utility Office, 765-747-4894.

Funding from the Nature Conservancy, Indy Zoo, Ball Brother’s Foundation, and Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County help support our efforts to grow and repopulate unique mussel species in the White River!

We would like to remind everyone that all grass clippings must be swept back into the yard or swept up and properly disposed of. This applies to everyone, including residents, businesses, landscape companies, and other organizations. DO NOT PLACE GRASS CLIPPINGS IN BLUE BAGS.

Please help us keep our streets clean and safe for travel, and help protect our waterways and drainage systems by keeping your areas clear of yard waste debris. Thank you for your cooperation!

White River Thrives highlight: The Smallmouth Bass!

Have you tried your luck fishing along the White River? Steam bank access throughout Muncie from the White River Greenway gives you a great opportunity to fish the White River.

The Muncie Sanitary District Offices will be closed today, Friday, Dec. 29th and Monday, Jan. 1st for the New Year Holiday. Trash and recycling routes will remain on schedule and will not change. We wish everyone a safe and joyful New Year Holiday!