City Street Sweeping Policies Explained

There have been various inquiries regarding the street sweeping services contracted for by the city. The purpose of this release is to provide information and clarification about those services.

Street sweeping is conducted in Aurora on the last Wednesday of every month between the hours of 6 and 11 a.m. The sweeping is done throughout the entire town and not just certain select streets.

Some residents have questioned the cost and necessity of having the service provided. However, the service is a critical component of the city continuing to meet mandates set forth by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

TMDLs are established in order to improve the quality of inputs going into the state’s watersheds. Much of those efforts involve reducing the amount of sediment and mercury present in the water. Regular street sweeping, particularly by smaller cities, is part of DEQ’s mercury reduction plans intended to meet water quality standards.