AUGUSTA, Ga. – Five months after the storm that left extensive damage across the city, debris continues to pile up on the streets of west Augusta, much to the frustration of residents and local officials. Despite efforts to clear the wreckage, piles of storm debris remain visible, with some areas reportedly receiving multiple passes by city crews without fully resolving the issue.

Becky Risteen, a west Augusta resident, has been putting out storm debris in front of her home, and says this is the fourth pile she’s set out in the hopes of it being cleared. “Actually, they were here yesterday getting stumps. They’re coming back on Thursday,” Risteen shared, expressing some optimism that the issue would eventually be addressed. However, she is among many who feel the cleanup has dragged on longer than expected.

The city had initially pledged to wrap up its tree debris removal by the end of the year, but months later, large piles still sit on residential streets. Fran Bennett, a frequent walker in her neighborhood, observed that while the city claimed to have completed its final pass in her area, debris continues to accumulate. “I don’t have a remedy for it. I wish I did. I feel like our commissioners are on top of it, but there’s so much,” she said.

The frustration among residents is mounting as new piles of debris appear, despite the city’s assurance that all areas have been serviced. Recently, two sizable new piles were placed in the median on Henry Street, even though the city had indicated that it had completed its final pass in the area. This has raised concerns about improper disposal, with some speculating that tree services or other entities may be illegally dumping debris.

Commissioner Catherine Smith Rice voiced her frustration, expressing disbelief that the cleanup would be completed in time for the Masters Tournament, which is less than three weeks away. “They say it’s going to be picked up all by next week, but I don’t see it happening,” she said, adding that it was “irksome” to see piles continuing to grow.

While local officials are under pressure to finish the cleanup before the prestigious golf event, some, like Risteen, remain hopeful that the debris will eventually be cleared. “They’ll make another pass, I guess, after the tournament. I don’t know if they’ll be able to get this one, but there’s always hope,” she said.

With the clock ticking before the Masters, many residents and officials are hoping for a swift resolution to the storm debris issue. But until then, the piles remain—a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges facing the city in the aftermath of the storm.