What A Mess: Southington's Dry Leaf Dust Causing Roadside Havoc: Town

SOUTHINGTON, CT — It's dry out there as weeks of little rain have caused some unusual problems with traditional autumn chores.

Take Southington's leaf collection operation.

According to Southington Town Manager Alex Ricciardone Monday, the exceedingly dry weather has caused leaves to be pulverized into a fine powder when collection trucks do their job.

This, he said, is causing a massive buildup of leaf dust on the town's roadways and has prompted automobiles to require a trip to the car wash.

"Our annual leaf pickup program is in full swing, and this year, due to particularly dry conditions, we’re seeing some unique challenges," wrote Ricciardone on Facebook Monday.

"As we work diligently to clear the leaves, some of the town’s collection trucks are grinding the leaves and sending them through chutes into storage containers."

That, he explained, is causing an unusual situation.

"In some cases, this process results in a fine layer of shredded leaf debris being deposited on roads, sidewalks, and even parked vehicles close to the pickup areas."

Ricciardone apologized to residents on behalf of the town, saying "This type of residual debris has not been an issue in previous years, but we are taking steps to adjust our equipment and minimize this inconvenience."

Despite that, leaf particles could still be an issue in town.

"In such cases, a leaf blower or even a short 100-yard drive should clear off most of the debris," wrote Ricciardone.

Of course, anyone mulching leaves in their yard knows what Southington and, likely, other towns are coping with.

Ricciardone said, "The highway department is exploring additional methods to reduce this issue further, but we also recognize the importance of completing the leaf pickup promptly to avoid leaves freezing or becoming snow-covered as winter approaches."H

He said town staff will be going around to clean up roads with significant debris that may be a hazard.

One tip folks can do, if possible, is to even wet down their leaves when left on the roadside "while we wait for needed rain."

For more information on Southington's leaf pickup schedule, click on this link.