The Town of Okotoks is launching a bi-weekly waste collection pilot program in the communities of Woodhaven and Mountainview.

According to a letter from the town that was distributed to homeowners yesterday, black cart collection will be reduced to every two weeks in those two communities only, starting on June 4 and ending on September 28. Blue and green carts will still be collected weekly during the program.

The pilot program will affect about 550 homes in those communities and the town is offering a rebate of $2.50 per month or a total of $10 over the four-month period to homeowners in the pilot program areas. Residents can expect to see their rebates added to their October utility bills.

The letter also states that all carts in those communities will be checked during the pilot program to ensure proper sorting of waste and help with data collection during the pilot and adds that carts that don't comply with the waste bylaw might not be collected.

According to the town, the purpose of the pilot program is to gauge whether bi-weekly waste collection is acceptable and economical and whether it will help the town meet its landfill diversion rate goal of 80 per cent.

The town will be hosting two information sessions on the pilot program at the Municipal Centre on May 24. One takes place at 1 p.m. and the other at 6:30 p.m.

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