Piles of trash, furniture, appliances cleaned up from property on Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone
SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) --- A home in San Marcos that once had piles of items ranging from tires, appliances and clothing on its front lawn has since been cleaned up.
That's after two neighbors bought the property from the landowner and started clearing the garbage.
This is what it looked like before the cleanup:
The cleanup process
Krista Pepau is one of the co-owners of this property.
She said the owner reached out to her and offered for Pepau to buy it. "The people that were illegally dumping on the property, were not the owners, they were squatters," Pepau said.
The cleanup process was like nothing she's ever experienced in her life.
"Packed with trash, with things that had been you know hoarded, dog feces, dead rats, you know, there were dogs just laying on counters," Pepau said.
She said the odor inside the home was horrible and unbearable for workers.
"Unfortunately, several of our crews got sick and they were coming out and vomiting," Pepau said.
Within just eight days, Pepau said they were able to completely clear out the trash. It took a total of 21 semi-truck loads.
Pepau said she hopes down the road this land can belong to a family.
"Really enjoying it and treating the land right and being good to their neighbors," Pepau said.
Nuisance abatement program
Hays County Commissioners said work is being done to address situations like these.
Commissioner Lon Shell said various county departments have been working together and formed an Environmental Task Force.
"This Task Force is currently creating a draft Nuisance Abatement Program policy that will be brought to the Commissioners Court for further discussion and the consideration for approval this year. I am very appreciative of the work that is being done and look forward to having a public discussion on the efforts of the Task Force in the near future."
Hays County Commissioner Lon Shell