Each week for the entire month of November, Sparks residents get the chance to put extra bags out on trash day at no cost and without the use of an excess waste sticker. So start now! Untended leaves typically end up in the city’s storm drains and increase the risk of flooding. With the recent winds, many leaves have begun to create havoc on the City’s storm drainage systems.
“Unraked leaves go into the streets and into the gutters, and from there they go into the storm drains and plug them,” said Ron Korman, Sparks Public Works Manager. “We’ll get calls when it rains that the storm drain is plugged and it’s flooding — usually it’s plugged up with leaves.”
In order to avoid the risk of flooding on your street or in your home, be sure to get out and rake as needed, and take advantage of the fall excess trash program to easily dispose of the extra yard waste.
“You can get overwhelmed if you wait too long and try to do it all at once,” Korman said. “If you get out and rake a couple times, it’s more like just taking care of your yard.”
Besides making the task of raking a bit easier, staying on top of fallen leaves also reduces the risk of waiting too long and watching all those leaves blow into the surrounding yards and streets. Once you’ve bagged the dead leaves, simply set the bags next to your regular waste container on trash days throughout the month of November.
The fall excess waste program allows Sparks residents to place up to six bags, boxes or bundles outside their regular trash can with no need for an excess waste sticker. According to Waste Management officials, these bags, boxes or bundles may not exceed 3’ x 3’ x 3’ or 50 pounds.
Along with November, an excess waste program also takes place in May. During the other 10 months of the year, Sparks residents are required to use one of the 20 excess waste stickers mailed out at the beginning of the year to dispose of waste that does not fit in the Waste Management cart.
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