Leaf Piles May Worsen La Grange Flooding

LA GRANGE, IL – A La Grange official this week urged caution when residents rake their leaves onto the curb during the fall.

Village President Mark Kuchler said the village's leaf removal program is popular. But he said he has heard from residents concerned that the piles may cause flooding during storms.

"If a storm is coming, please get the leaves out, so the water can make it into the sewers and catch basins," he said.

That way, he said, streets and homes will not be flooded.

This year, the village plans to remove leaves from curbs from Oct. 4 to Nov. 24. It is set to go by each street every other week.

"Our program is designed where our public works efficiently picks them up," Kuchler said. "We then contract with a truck company that then delivers them to a farm that turns those leaves into mulch and fertilizer."