West Central Sanitation is Madelia’s new garbage service as of June 1st, 2025. They provide both residential and commercial services. Garbage collection will take place every Monday. If Monday falls on a holiday, pickup will be delayed to the following business day. 

WCS also provides dumpster rentals as well. To request a dumpster, please call WCS at 1-800-246-7630, or visit their website.

Residential refuse will be billed monthly on utility billings. Commercial refuse is billed directly to the customer from WCS.

West Central Sanitation has also taken over the recycling contract for Watonwan County. With that, recycling collection takes place for the city of Madelia every other Thursday.

A yearly garbage/recycling calendar is mailed out with your first utility billing each year.

Madelia Calendar

Pursuant to City Code Chapter 56, Section 56.04:

Garbage and recycling containers shall be placed for collection at one location, at ground level, on the property, and accessible from the street or alley where collection is made.

  • Carts shall never be placed on the street at any time, as this may obstruct traffic, emergency responders, street sweepers, and snowplows.

    • During winter months, residents may need to clear an area on the boulevard and/or at the end of the driveway to ensure proper cart placement.

  • If you have more than one garbage and/or recycling cart, they must be placed at least 3 feet apart to allow the automated collection arm to operate safely and properly.

  • If your weekly household trash does not fit inside your cart (the lid must be completely closed and cannot be open more than a 45-degree angle, per West Central Sanitation), you must:

    • Contact West Central Sanitation (WCS) prior to collection day to receive instructions for handling extra trash, or

    • Consider one of the following options:

      1. Requesting an additional cart

      2. Requesting a larger cart

RURAL RECYCLNIG

Watonwan County Recycling is located on Joy Ave SW at the entrance of the Madelia Compost site. Please follow the guidelines as posted from Watonwan County Land Management. This drop site is for RURAL Madelia residents. All in town residents/businesses should already have their own containers. If you do not, please contact City Hall 507-642-3245, so we can help you with what you need.

Please do your part in assisting us to keep the area clean and tidy. All cardboard should be broken down prior to placing it in the container to allow the containers to be used to their fullest.

The blue recycling containers are emptied every Monday morning. If the containers are visibly full, we ask that you wait until they have been emptied before you drop your items off. There should, at no time, be any items left outside of the containers.

This is not a garbage drop-off. Therefore, any other items are prohibited and violators will be ticketed.

Please forward any questions/concerns to Watonwan County Land Management.