What to do with your sandbags after Hilary

If you're wondering what to do with your sandbags now that Hilary is over, the city of Palm Springs has a few suggestions which apply to everyone here in the valley.

Officials are asking residents to not throw full sandbags into the trash as it will make the containers too heavy for trash pick up crews.

Here's what you can do:

• Consider keeping any bags that didn't come into contact with floodwaters for future rainy days; you never know when you might need them.
• Use the sand in your yard, scatter it in your landscaping.
• If that isn't possible, you can return it to a sandy area.
• Empty sandbags can be reused if not punctured or torn. Eventually, they can be thrown away.

Bags that came into contact with floodwaters are considered contaminated and therefore shouldn't be reused or stored due to mold concerns. Be sure to follow the suggestions above before throwing the bags into the trash.