Owensboro Public Works sets leaf-collection season Oct. 16–Feb. 15 with three collection methods

Hunter Reagan, sanitation manager for Owensboro Public Works, told the Board of Commissioners the city’s 2025–26 leaf-collection season will run from Oct. 16 through Feb. 15 and described routes, equipment and resident options.

Reagan said the department will perform three passes covering 10 zones per pass; the first pass runs Oct. 16–Nov. 14, the second Nov. 17–Dec. 19 and the third Dec. 22–Feb. 15, with all call-ins completed at the conclusion of the third pass. “This year, we’ll be starting in Zone 3A,” Reagan said, explaining the department rotates starting zones each year for fairness.

The city will use three collection methods: six vacuum-equipped trucks (each crewed by three employees), two yard-waste trucks to collect bagged leaves on regular trash days, and six orange dumpsters at the Owensboro Sports Center parking lot for resident drop-off. Reagan told the commission residents should not mix brush or foreign objects with leaves, should keep 10 feet of clearance from fixed objects, and should not wet leaves or cover water meter lids because the machinery could remove them.

Reagan said the previous season’s total was 1,000,814.92 pounds (about 1,116 tons) and recapped that the first pass in that year completed Nov. 13, the second completed Dec. 18, and the third completed Jan. 23 with all call-ins finished by February.

Residents can find daily updates at owensboro.org and via the city’s social media, local media partners and a city text-alert sign-up. Reagan said the department’s hours are Monday–Friday, 6:00–2:30, Saturdays 6:00–12:00, and occasional extended hours as needed.