Valparaiso’s fleet of seven leaf vacuum crews is geared up and will begin picking up leaves Oct. 13 through Nov. 21. “Because of the unpredictability of wind and weather, it’s difficult for us to commit to a specific pick-up day for each neighborhood each week. Please know that we’ll get through the entire city as frequently as we can and that there is no need to call for service,” said Matt Evans, Public Works Director. Public Works may even add occasional Saturday pick ups during the heaviest part of the season.
Residents can help improve efficiency by keeping non-leaf items out of their leaf piles as debris can damage equipment and lead to downtime for repairs. Please note that after the Nov. 21 cut-off date, vacuum trucks will not be running, which means leaves must be bagged (in biodegradable bags) for pick up. Likewise, there will be no additional leaf pick ups in the spring, so any leftover leaves from the fall season must be bagged for pick up.
In Your Neighborhood
When it comes to leaves, remember:
Crews will begin at 7:00 a.m. and continue until dark, if necessary.
Leave your leaves in the right-of-way – off the street -- for pick up. Leaves cannot be picked up in alleys.
Leaves should be the only thing in the pile – no sticks, bricks, boards or other items. Public Works cannot pick up mixed piles with brush and leaves together until separated by the resident. Public Works does not pick up any debris from contractors, regardless of the time of year.
Additional items should be placed off the street, near the curb.
Although it’s preferable to leave leaves unbagged and uncovered through Nov. 21, leaves may be placed in biodegradable bags (NO plastic) or covered with a tarp at the curb to prevent them from blowing.
Please bag any leaves remaining after the leaf pick-up season ends on Nov. 21.
For more information about leaf pick up, or other services of Public Works, visit the city’s web site at www.valpo.us.