‘Keep it Clean COS’: Colorado Springs continues its efforts to minimize litter

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)--The City of Colorado Springs is continuing its ongoing efforts to pick up litter and reduce the amount of trash along sidewalks, streets, and medians.

This is all part of Mayor John Suthers' initiative launched in 2022 known as 'Keep it Clean COS'.

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, the City of Colorado Springs showed off its three new vacuum machines that will help pick up litter across the city.

"As the city is growing, unfortunately there are a lot of places where there is a lot of litter, a lot of trash and debris, so we are trying to bring that up," said Travis Easton, the Director of Public Works for the city of Colorado Springs.

Easton said last year the city received around 1,273 reports of trash through the mobile 'GoCOS' app and picked up nearly one-quarter of a million pounds of litter just within homeless campsites. Wednesday, the city revealed their new vacuum machines that will replace the work of five to seven clean-up staff members. 

"So we are looking to leverage that instead of hiring five to seven people. We are leveraging this vacuum to really go all over the city and pick up trash," said Easton.

Currently, there are 20 to 25 individuals who make up the 'Keep it Clean COS' team. 11 of them are authorized to drive the new vacuum trucks. 

"And what's kind of fun is that some of our crews will hire folks from the rescue mission, and if they do well they will wind up being city employees and will help them end up with permeant employment," said Mayor Suthers.

Two of the three new vacuum trucks will be cleaning up the city seven days a week.