VERO BEACH — Officials in Indian River County are warning residents in unincorporated areas not to pay recent invoices from Waste Management for fourth-quarter trash collection, saying the charges are no longer valid and will be covered by a new county assessment.
The Board of County Commissioners issued the alert on Friday after the waste hauler accidentally mailed bills to residential subscription customers. The fees, previously billed directly by Waste Management, are now included in the Universal Curbside Collection non-ad valorem assessment on property tax statements.
“Residents are urged not to pay this invoice,” the county said in a statement. Those who have already sent in payments can expect automatic refunds from Waste Management.
County officials noted that Waste Management has apologized for the mix-up and any confusion it caused. The error stems from a transition to the universal collection system, which aims to streamline services for all unincorporated households.
No timeline was given for the refunds, but the company assured the county that processes are in place to handle them promptly.
Residents with questions can contact the county’s solid waste division or Waste Management directly.
