ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – For some property owners in Albuquerque, it’s a nasty problem; they are constantly having to clean up human waste on their properties. For more than a year now, the City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department has been operating a program to help property owners with this problem, but the city and those property owners said it’s an ongoing battle.
Story continues below
- New Mexico News Insiders: What Happens When The Rio Grande Runs Dry?
- News: ‘You are very spiteful’: Community confronts McKinley County DA over funding issues
- Trending: VIDEO: Man arrested, accused of setting father’s house on fire and stealing emergency vehicle
- News: Repeat drunk driver saw jail as ‘free vacation;’ then an opportunity came in Bernalillo County
It’s a problem property owners face in the International District and downtown Albuquerque places where the homeless don’t have access to toilets. “I have a lot of people who that come around here and use the bathroom like if it’s their own little toilet,” said Joseph Pinkney.
For 12 years, Pinkney has worked at Central Trailer Supply along Central Ave. in the International District. He comes across human feces all the time. “Sometimes that’s just how it is, especially in this area,” said Pinkney. Pinkney is one of the many people who call on the city to clean up the human waste. The Department of Environmental Health has been providing that service since April of last year. “Since the inception, it’s been over 2,138 calls that have come in,” said Dr. Terrance Smith, Deputy Director for Environmental Health.
City councilors passed a resolution aimed at helping residents and businesses clean up human feces service through 311. Their goal is to maintain public health. “You know, it can become a public health hazard. You know, any human feces is a health hazard, is a biohazard. Period,” said Dr. Smith.
They are also working to stay ahead of the problem. “We also do proactive measures where some of the hotspots that we have, we’re constantly going by to make sure we keep those areas clean,” said Dr. Smith.
When the program started, a third-party contractor would do the cleanup. The Environmental Health Departments said they still use that service provider, but cut back to save money and have temp workers take on the task. The city also launched an app on its website earlier this year showing where public restrooms are available.
