Frequently Asked Questions

Leaf burning is banned by ordinance within the city limits of Edwardsville. The City of Edwardsville provides curbside lawn and leaf pickup to its residents.

We are proud to say that there is no cost to citizens of Edwardsville who live inside the city limits when calling for a fire truck. This includes services regarding:

• Carbon-Monoxide Detector Alarms
• Commercial Fire Truck Services
• Fire Alarms
• Residential Fire Truck Services
• Smoke Alarms

Please contact the City Clerk's office at 618-692-7500 or by email for further details and costs of the City of Edwardsville's ambulance service.

Unfortunately, no you cannot hide your fire hydrant. Having fire hydrants clearly visible and accessible from the street is very important for quick access in times of emergency. This is so important, that fire hydrant installation and maintenance is regulated by Illinois State Law.

If you have questions about your ambulance bill, please contact the City Clerks office by phone at 618-692-7500, or send questions to the Clerk's email, or mail your questions to:

City Clerks Office
118 Hillsboro Avenue
Edwardsville, IL 62025

Please contact the fire department at 618-692-7540  or by email for further information on installing smoke detectors. Due to the design of many homes a full evaluation should determine the best location for smoke detectors within your home.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, poisonous gas created when any fuel is burned, such as:

• Coal
• Gasoline
• Natural Gas
• Oil
• Propane
• Tobacco (Yes, Even Tobacco)
• Wood

When the amount of air available for combustion is limited, more CO is produced. Serious problems can develop when combustion by-products are not properly vented outside the house. A by-product of combustion, carbon monoxide can be a potential problem from a number of common sources:

• Automobiles
• Furnaces
• Water Heaters
• Fireplaces
• Wood Stoves
• Charcoal Grills
• Gas Ranges
• Space Heaters
• Portable Generators

When you breathe carbon monoxide, it enters your bloodstream through your lungs and attaches to red blood cells. These red blood cells, called hemoglobin, carry oxygen throughout, our body. Carbon monoxide molecules attach to the red blood cells 200 times faster than oxygen does, preventing the flow of oxygen to your heart, brain and vital organs. As carbon monoxide accumulates in your blood stream, your body becomes starved for oxygen.

The early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often mistaken for the flu:

• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Sleepiness
• Vomiting
• Weakness

Breathing very high concentrations of carbon monoxide can be lethal in minutes. Breathing low concentrations over time can be lethal or cause permanent heart and brain damage.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, CO poisoning each year affects at least 10,000 Americans. While anyone is susceptible, experts agree that unborn babies, small children, senior citizens and people with heart or respiratory problems are especially vulnerable to CO and are at the greatest risk for death or serious injury.

Inside your home, appliances used for heating and cooking are the most likely sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles running in attached garages can also produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

Your first line of defense should be a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. You can purchase one for your home at nearly any multipurpose or hardware store. In addition, you should have an annual inspection and regular maintenance of your appliances. Contact a licensed contractor in your area to acquire these services.

Also, you should know the possible sources of CO in your home. Keep fuel-burning appliances and their chimneys and vents in good working condition. Learn the early symptoms of exposure, and if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, move outside to fresh air and get emergency help immediately.

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is when City Hall is open, except for federal holidays and weather emergencies.

If you are unsure of your precinct location, visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website. After a few questions to obtain your home address, it will provide the precinct number and location where you will go to vote as well as list which district elections within the state you are able to vote in.

The City of Edwardsville does not issue a license to dog and/or cat owners. The City does, however, have leash laws that allow owners to have their pets on City streets as long as they remain on a leash. Edwardsville has two park locations where dogs are allowed to be off their leash within the designated areas. Both are free to the public. These two dog-friendly locations are:

• Joe Glik Park, 710 East Lake Drive, which has a fenced-in natural grass dog run. 
• Brent Leh Dog Park, Olive Street and West Schwarz Street, which is a dedicated dog park featuring a large turf surface.

For more information about these and other Edwardsville parks, go to: cityofedwardsville.com/475/List-of-Parks-in-Edwardsville

Republic Services recognizes the following six holidays:

• New Year's Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Should your trash pick-up day fall on a holiday, your trash and recycling will be collected on the following day. For instance, if the holiday falls on a Monday, your pick-up day moves to Tuesday. Tuesday's pick-up then moves to Wednesday, and so on. Friday pick-ups will move to Saturday.

Yard waste collection is on the same day as your regular trash pick-up and is collected year-round.

A snow emergency is declared after a snowfall of more than 3 inches. Plowing starts on the snow emergency routes first as a matter of public safety and then goes to secondary streets, side streets and residential areas.

There are numerous ways that individuals can help during a snow emergency. Check in on your neighbors and co-workers, especially the elderly or those with disabilities. Check to see if neighbors need assistance with groceries, clearing sidewalks, rides to work, etc. For everyone’s safety, stay off the streets unless it is absolutely essential for you to travel.

Yes you can; however doing so will restrict the snow plows from accessing all areas of the street so please assist with the snow removal effort by not parking vehicles on City streets whenever possible.  In addition, cul-de-sacs are nearly impossible to plow when vehicles are parked in them.

Local radio stations that may provide weather updates include WBGZ 1570 a.m. (Alton) and KMOX 1120 a.m. (St. Louis). In addition, the St. Louis area TV Stations do an excellent job in covering storm events. The National Weather Service of St. Louis is online and on Facebook and other social  media outlets and can provide up-to-date reports on conditions, too.

You may contact the Edwardsville Public Works Department at 692-7535 during regular business hours Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They can provide useful information regarding local road conditions and can also help with any specific service request.

For everyone’s safety, residents are asked to only drive on city streets for essential travel as conditions permit.

Call 911 for emergencies. For less urgent public safety needs, please call the Edwardsville Police Department non-emergency number at 618-656-2131.

Snow should not remain on any sidewalk along any lot, house or building within the city for over a period of 24 hours. During major snow storms, officials will be lenient regarding enforcement of the snow removal ordinance, but sidewalks should be cleared as soon as possible. 

Listed below are the ordinances regarding snow removal:

• Section 74-114 - Removal from sidewalks abutting multifamily dwellings.
• Section 74-115 - Removal from sidewalks abutting businesses.
• Section 74-116 - Removal from private parking lots.
• Section 74-117 - Snow Deposits
• Section 74-118 - Failure to remove snow or ice
• Section 74-119 - Exemptions
• Section 74-120 - Removal in other areas

These ordinances can be found on the Municipal Code site.

Priority Number 1 & 2

Priority 1: The primary objective and first priority of the City of Edwardsville Street Department during a snow event is creating safe passage for first responders. Priority areas include but are not limited to: Emergency routes, primary traffic routes that are maintained by the City, all essential municipal and public facilities, and school zones. Priority Number 2: Serves higher traffic arterial and collector streets not categorized as Priority Number 1.

Priority Number 3 & 4

Priority 3: Residential areas, subdivisions and recreational areas. The City of Edwardsville makes every effort to clear all roads within 24 hours after snow has ceased. Priority Number 4: Cul-de-sacs and alleys are typically cleared last and will be addressed on an as-needed basis.

The City of Edwardsville has approximately 174 miles of roads within our corporate limits.  Total lane miles (length that gets plowed) come out to about 381.

Based on the frequency and number of snow events in a typical season, it is not economically feasible to own and maintain additional pieces of equipment that are designated for snow removal only. Our available equipment corresponds with the number of employees who are available for snow removal.

During the most extreme snow events, heavy construction equipment may be necessary to clear large amounts of snow or ice that has become hard packed to the roadway.

The City responds to all requests from the U.S. Postal Service and coordinates plowing in areas where mail carriers are having problems delivering the mail.