About Public Works

With more than 600 employees under its Solid Waste division, the Phoenix Public Works Department provides trash, recycling, and other waste diversion services to more than 420,000 households. Public Works Solid Waste oversees two transfer stations, two materials recovery facilities, one compost facility, five closed landfills and one active landfill. Public Works’ other divisions oversee and maintain all City fleet vehicles and City buildings.

The department’s work culture is focused on providing excellent customer service and continuously striving for operational efficiency. Public Works is committed to reaching zero waste by 2050 by offering recycling and zero waste education, developing convenient and reliable waste diversion programs, and collaborating with organizations and businesses to develop a robust circular economy.

Zero Waste Goal and Plan

A Public Works employee collects bulk trash with a tractor.

Other Public Works Divisions

The Fleet Services Division's mission is to provide City of Phoenix departments with safe, efficient, reliable, and sustainable fleet equipment that helps drive the success of its services to residents. We manage and maintain the City's fleet of 8,000 vehicles/units. We operate on a cost-recovery model, directly billing city departments for our services and commodities.

Our Sections

Auto Stores: We provide internal parts and supply support to all maintenance locations and manage warranty recovery from manufacturers.
Fleet Maintenance: We offer top-tier maintenance services to both critical and non-critical vehicles and equipment across all City departments, with 18 service centers dedicated to ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Fleet Operations: We handle technical and administrative support, including database management, contract management, training, financial reporting, and fleet operations studies to optimize service delivery.
Fleet Control: We oversee vehicle acquisition, disposal of damaged or non-repairable equipment, vehicle modifications, and collision repairs.
Fuel Management: We manage 85 city-owned fuel sites, ensuring operational maintenance, environmental compliance, fuel delivery, and oversight of electric vehicle charging stations.

The Public Works Facilities Division serves as the backbone of the city’s facilities infrastructure, ensuring that the spaces where people live, work, and gather remain functional, safe, and sustainable. Our division’s mission is to provide professional, high-quality, and reliable building services to meet the needs of both city departments and the community.

With responsibility for more than 1,000 facilities across the city, we manage a portfolio that includes critical properties such as police and fire stations, libraries, senior centers, parks, pools, recreation centers, arts and cultural venues, and administrative buildings. Together, these facilities cover 10.2 million square feet and span 14,574 acres of land. Our work ensures that these spaces operate seamlessly, fostering productivity, safety, and engagement.

Our Sections

Facility Operations and Maintenance: We handle the day-to-day operations and upkeep of all city-owned properties. Whether it’s routine maintenance or addressing critical repairs, we ensure facilities remain operational and meet the highest standards of safety and quality. Each year, we respond to and complete upwards of 21,000 maintenance requests, demonstrating our commitment to reliability and responsiveness.
Capital Planning and Infrastructure Improvements: Our team works closely with city leadership to strategically plan and execute infrastructure projects that address current and future needs. From initial planning and design to execution and oversight, we manage every aspect of project delivery, ensuring that goals are met on time and within budget. Projects scale from small to large and asset replacements must be considered.
Sustainability and Asset Management: Sustainability is at the core of our operations. We implement energy-efficient solutions, optimize resource use, and apply proactive asset management strategies to extend the lifespan of city facilities while reducing costs. Our focus on sustainability not only benefits the environment but also aligns with the city’s long-term goals for responsible growth and innovation.

Our Mission

The mission of the Phoenix Public Works Department is to improve the quality of life in Phoenix through efficient delivery of outstanding solid waste, fleet, facilities, and energy management services.

Our Guiding Principles

A Solid Waste employee rolls a 300-gallon trash container towards a truck.

Safety

The Public Works Department prioritizes safety above all else. Therefore, we are willing to take risks in support of safety when it comes to protecting employees and the community. We will not compromise safety for any reason.

A Publi Works employee at the drive-up window gives a driver information about the 27th Avenue Transfer Station

Customer Experience

The Public Works Department is known for providing an excellent customer experience through respectful and empathetic engagement, timely responsiveness and communication, and effective resolution of the issue. We proceed cautiously because we value the importance of maintaining consistency and reliability in our service delivery.

A building equipment operator in a hard hat works with an HVAC system in a mechanical room

Innovation & Efficiency

The Public Works Department is committed to continuous improvement through always seeking innovative, cost effective, and streamlined solutions to be an industry leader in each line of business. We accept uncertainty and potential failure and are willing to take justified risks in support of progress.

A Public Works employee checks an HVAC system for regulatory compliance

Environmental Stewardship

The Public Works Department is committed to being a climate champion and to providing environmentally responsible services to our customers. We believe in staying on the cutting edge of research and best practices and therefore, we are flexible and committed to making smart investments to reduce our environmental impact.

A mechanic stands under a lifted vehicle to perform maintenance

Fiscal Responsibility

The Public Works Department is dedicated to maintaining the highest level of integrity and trust in the transparent and responsible management of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars. We recognize the importance of being cautious with public funds and for that reason we are meticulous in our financial planning and expenditures, ensuring that every dollar is allocated with prudence and accountability.

A City of Phoenix mechanic smiles in front of a truck being serviced on a lift.

Workforce Engagement & Development

The Public Works Department recognizes that our employees are the most important element to the success of the Department. We are committed to leading with empathy, and to providing ongoing support, accountability, and development to our employees to create an engaged and thriving work culture. In order to be the department of choice, we are willing to invest in our employees. We recognize that we are all valuable contributors to making a positive difference in our community.

Solid Waste Facilities

Phoenix garbage truck at the transfer station.

Public Works Transfer Stations

Public Works owns two strategically placed transfer stations, one in north Phoenix and one in South Phoenix. Residents can bring material to the transfer station for recycling or disposal.

Learn about the Transfer Stations

Compost Facility

The Phoenix Compost Facility is located at 27th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. The facility is capable of processing up to 55,000 tons of compost per year. Residents can bring yard waste to the facility for composting.

Learn about the Compost Facility