The second wave: trash

All that rain, all that water.

But now that the rain has stopped, and the rivers subsided, there's another ugly reminder of the Flood of 2006: Trash.

Everywhere that water seeped in, things are getting tossed.

Methuen's public works crews have been working nearly nonstop in recent weeks to keep on top of the city's great cleanup.

On the first regular trash pickup since the flood, the city generated 160 tons of trash -- compared with the 90 tons the city usually generates on its weekly trash day.

And, officials note, many homeowners have bypassed the regular trash day for a more convenient option. Some have begun filling the six Dumpsters that the city put in some of the hardest-hit areas; others simply went to the dump.

The city has waived all the dumping fees for now, in order to help hard-hit homeowners, public works director Raymond DiFiore said.

But even amid the discarded washing machines and air conditioners, most people interviewed last week said that in retrospect, the appliances were easy to get rid of. It was the cherished photographs and sentimental items that they'll miss the most.

Others say the flood is something they will never forget.

``The damage, the flooding, it was unbelievable," said John Giarrusso, a nuclear preparedness manager for the state's emergency management association. He spent several days in the region during the height of the flooding.

About 3,600 Methuen residents were evacuated from their homes in what has been called the worst flood in 70 years. Mayor William Manzi has determined that the city's homes and businesses sustained about $16 million in flood-related damage. Late last week, the federal government declared the region a major disaster area. The move means that the federal government will help pay for the cleanup.