Please DO NOT rake fallen leaves into the street where they will clog catch basins. It is illegal to do so in Riverside. The Village operates its sewer system under a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) permit issued by the IEPA. Among the conditions of the CSO permit is a requirement that the Village aggressively prevent floatables such as leaves and branches from entering the storm sewer system which would then enter the receiving stream, the Des Plaines River.
Clogged catch basins lead to street flooding when it rains. Additionally, because most of Riverside has combined sewers, leaves in the sewer system can contribute to basement backups during major Autumn storm events. There is no limit to the amount of yard waste residents can place at the curb for collection each week, but leaves must be contained in paper bags or an approved yard waste container with a YARD WASTE ONLY sticker. Yard Waste stickers are available at the village office free of charge.
Leaves can also be mulched into lawns and raked into planting beds and gardens to decompose during the Winter months. This process returns vital nutrients to the lawn and planting beds and helps protect perennials from the cold.