Savannah Standard

The City of Savannah continues its response to the impacts from Hurricane Helene. City offices and facilities remained closed on Monday, Sept. 30 for non-essential personnel, while all essential services are operating at full capacity.

Due to widespread power outages causing food spoilage, the City's Sanitation Department has suspended recycling services until further notice starting on Monday, Sept. 30. Recycling carts can be used for garbage overflow and left with garbage carts curbside for collection this week.

Residential refuse collection will proceed as normal. Residents are encouraged to hold recyclables until regular collections resume or use single-stream drop-off facilities.

A contractor has been secured for debris removal operations, which will begin this week and are expected to continue for several weeks. Residents should place containerized storm debris at the regular point-of-collection without blocking roadways or storm drains. Large limbs should be placed separately off the street.

Residents are asked not to place debris near trees, poles, or other structures that may hinder removal efforts. All storm debris must be separated by type: household garbage, containerized yard waste, larger vegetative debris, bulk items, etc.

All household garbage/trash should be containerized within City-issued residential refuse carts. Residents who wish to dispose of debris themselves may bring it to convenience stations at Dean Forest Road Landfill or Bacon Park Convenience Center operating on a regular schedule.

The Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) and the Grant Center Gymnasium (123 West St.) will open Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as temporary comfort/charging centers for residents. More centers are expected to open on Monday.

The Daffin Park Pool will also be open from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., and city staff is working to have all splashpads operational by noon on Monday except Forsyth Park splashpad. Splashpads will also operate on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will open various locations as charging/cooling centers on Sunday with specific hours listed per location.

As of 7 a.m., there remain an estimated 63,414 power outages affecting about 40% of the community according to Georgia Power's update released Saturday with estimated restoration times available online.

Monday morning assessments noted around 80 roads impacted due to downed trees and power lines in Savannah; some traffic signals have been restored but 53 out of the city's 280 signals remain without power.

Drivers are reminded that non-operating stoplights should be treated as all-way stops and encouraged to exercise caution when driving.

Service requests can still be submitted online at savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.

For those seeking gasoline availability information can refer to tracker.gasbuddy.com

Residents needing cleanup assistance can call 1-844-965-1386 or register online.

City water/sewer operations remain normal with no major issues reported in drinking water supply systems or sewage systems under generator and grid power mix operation.

For updates specific to Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.