Street Cleaning

Fall Leaf Pickup 

111919 Leaf vacuum rrucks 003 (JPG)The City of Muscatine will again be offering leaf vacuum service in your neighborhood.  This service will run from October through December  (weather permitting).

LEAF COLLECTION MAP BY CITY ZONE

Here are a few tips that should make the process go more smoothly and efficiently for the crews:

Scheduling

  • Crews from the Department of Public Works will begin in Zone 1 and make one round trip through the zone before proceeding to the next. There is no affixed schedule this year. Crews will work Zones 1 through 8 to collect leaves and will continue to do so until the weather makes it impossible to collect leaves (i.e. snow, ice).

Preparing Your Leaves

  • Rake leaves in a pile on the City right-of-way area in front of your house (between the sidewalk and the street curbing).  Be sure your pile of leaves is no further than five feet back from the curb.  The vacuum hose cannot reach the leaves if they are too far back.
  • Rake only leaves into piles.  The vacuum cannot pick up other types of yard waste such as sticks, brush and garden refuse.  Piles should be free of trash.
  • Combine your leaves into sizeable piles.  The minimum size for one pile should be equivalent to a yard waste bag.  The crew may miss anything smaller.

You Can Help Us Out

  • Do not rake leaves into the street.  Leaves should never be raked into the street as they can wash into the storm sewer and cause flooding for your neighborhood.
  • Parked cars hamper leaf pickup.  Please be considerate when parking on the street and avoid parking near leaf piles on scheduled pickup days.

Some Final Reminders

  • Despite all advanced preparation, adherence to these schedules depends on weather and equipment functioning properly.  Equipment breakdowns and heavy rains can slow progress, and snowstorms late in the cycle can curtail the program.
  • We advise residents not delay in leaf raking, as an early winter will require equipment and crews to be directed to snow removal.
  • Yard waste bags can always be used if more rapid pickup is desired.  The compost site is also open for residents to haul leaves.
  • Compost hours:  Sunday to Friday 12 p.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
  • Starting Nov. 2 the facility will close at 5 p.m., and will close for the season no later than Dec. 14.

 Compost Fee Schedule

Remember: Leaf burning and all open burning is banned by city ordinance.