Homeowner Sherri Brunkow received only one of the two trash cans she was supposed to get as part of the city's new garbage pickup program. Miss Brunkow's home is split into two apartments, and each resident of a housing unit should receive a separate receptacle. ANDREW DAVIS TUCKER/STAFF

But when a single black garbage can showed up in her driveway Thursday afternoon, she was wondering where the second one was.

''I guess I need to check on it,'' she said.

Miss Brunkow's home on Central Avenue is similar to many older homes throughout the Summerville district: It has been split into two separate apartments, one of which she rents out. Because the structure is considered to be two housing units, she's entitled to two garbage receptacles.

With expanded city garbage service scheduled to be up and running beginning Friday, new cans are cropping on curbs countywide. Each can should be delivered along with a packet of basic information about new or amended trash service, including the hauler's name and days of pickup.

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But those such as Miss Brunkow living in nontraditional housing units continue to require specialized answers from city officials and sanitation workers.

''If they have different addresses, they should have their own can,'' said Public Works Director Teresa Smith, who is heading up the new waste-collection contracts.

Customers who should have received more than one can but didn't should contact their new hauler, Ms. Smith said.

On average, the Department of Public Works and Engineering is fielding a trash-related phone call every two minutes.

Although some of the questions are coming from customers who might not have received enough trash receptacles, many calls have been from residents of townhouses and small apartment complexes that have used garbage cans in the past but are interested in switching to a single, large-bin system.

Public Works is asking multifamily housing complexes interested in employing a private large-bin service to submit a written request on behalf of the homeowner's association. Letters will be submitted to the county attorney's office for review.

''They need to send that letter to me as soon as possible so we can make the appropriate adjustment,'' Ms. Smith said.

Multifamily housing complexes already using large bins were automatically exempted from the city collection service, which is why new applications from such communities will be considered, Ms. Smith said.

Under no circumstances will single-family homes be considered for exemption, she said.

For more information on city-managed garbage collection, call the Department of Public Works at 796-5040.

Opting out

Multifamily housing complexes seeking to opt out of individual collection by employing a private large-bin service should mail a written request to:

The Department of Public Works

1815 Marvin Griffin Road

Augusta, GA 30906

Don't forget

Use your old can through Thursday, even if you've already received your new garbage can.Use your new can beginning Friday, and keep your old can empty. Your old can must be empty for your former hauler to retrieve it. It might take several weeks for your old can to be picked up.

Reach Heidi Coryell at (706) 823-3215.