Don't Let This Happen in Geneva

You hear it every year from aldermen at City Council meetings: Don't, don't, don't rake your leaves into the street. 

Think it's idle chatter? Take a look at the photo from Elmhurst Patch attached to this article.

Elmhurst is experiencing clogged storm sewers to the point where the streets are full of water and the city is issuing instructions on how residents can get out there and unplug the sewer grates themselves.

"Although the city of Elmhurst has been using three street sweepers constantly since the leaves began falling, heavy rain causes additional leaf drop and washes the leaves into the street drains," according to a message on the city's website. "City crews are unable to clear all of the 7,000 street inlets during storm events, so help from residents can be very beneficial."

Residents there say they panic every time it rains and "won't leave their homes for any length of time for fear of flooding," according to the article by Karen Chadra.

Geneva's leaf collection started Oct. 28, and with the rain we've had the past couple days, it's a good idea to learn from our neighbors to the east.

Here are a couple of hints and rules worth noting, from the the city of Geneva website:

• Rake leaves into the parkway next to the curb—Keep them about 12 inches from the street. (And don't let them get into the street, for gosh sakes.)

• Get the leaves there by Monday prior to pickup and not later than 7 a.m. the day of pickup—Yes, it's difficult to schedule time during the work week, but it won't do any good to rake on Sunday if the pickup is Thursday. The wind will blow them to kingdom come or your neighbor's yard or the street.

• Don't park your car on the street that week—If you block the vacuum from getting to your leaves, you might miss out.

• Take advantage of free pickup of leaves in paper bags from Dec. 1 to Dec. 28—After the curbside vacuum collection period is over, you can still get free leaf collection. Allied Waste handles this part of the collection process. You put leaves in paper yard-waste bags, and place them with your scheduled refuse collection. Refuse stickers are not required during this time period for leaves. No other yard waste (grass, branches, etc.) can be mixed with the leaves.

• Do it yourself #1—The city suggests using a mulching lawnmower. Mulching leaves provides nutrients for the soil.

• Do it yourself #2—This advice from the city: Place leaves in and around plant beds and under trees and shrubs. Again, this provides good nutrients for the soil insulation for the plants.