We love trees — and we know fallen leaves can block storm drains and cause problems for you and your neighbors.
Fall Leaf Tips
Help prevent localized flooding by properly recycling of leaves. Use one or more of these helpful tips:
- Drop them off. Place leaves in paper bags or bins and drop them off at a CWS or partner city event this fall.
- Leave your leaves. Leaves can make excellent natural mulch. You can leave the leaves that fall on garden areas or mulch them with your lawnmower for use in planting beds.
- Hire a service. Many neighbors work together to manage leaf fall. You can combine resources to hire a service that will collect and dispose of all your leaves together.
- Find support for yardwork, if needed, through the 211 Community Resource Directory online, call 211 or 503.222.5555, or text your zip code to 898211 during office hours.
34th Annual Leaf Disposal & Food Drive 2026
On Saturdays from late October though early December, we will collect leaves from several Washington County locations. We will update this page with dates, times, and locations once they are available. Sign up for our e-newsletter, Clean Water Connection, for details to be delivered right to your inbox.
Program Benefits
Clean Water Services collects about 3,000 cubic yards (about 300 dump truck loads) of leaves each year and takes them to West Union Gardens and made into mulch.
Participating in the leaf disposal program helps:
- Reduce localized flooding caused by leaf-clogged storm drains.
- Keep nutrients from decaying yard debris out of local creeks, wetlands, and the Tualatin River.
- Keep streets safe and clear for bikes and pedestrians.
This program is funded by Clean Water Services’ $10.55 per month surface water management (SWM) fee. This fee pays for flood management and water quality protection and improvement programs including street sweeping, 24-hour emergency flood response, catch basin cleaning, water quality monitoring, watershed planning and public education.