Flooded Residents Still Seeking Recovery

Fifteen inches of rain. That is exactly how much water John Krause measured in his basement on July 23^rd, 2010.

Severe summer storms brought some of the heaviest rains to Western Springs and surrounding communities than many residents had seen in over 20 years.

 "I have been in this house for 51 years and never had a problem with water. My house flooded four times this year already," said Krause, who resides in the 4200 block of Western Avenue.

It has been almost two months since the damaging downpours left residents water logged and looking for answers. Many residents with property damage have been encouraged to submit an application for financial assistance with FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. A temporary Disaster Recovery Center is currently operating in the cafeteria of St. Joseph's High School, located at 1840 Mayfair Avenue in Westchester. 

A visit to the Disaster Recovery Center offers residents assistance with the application process by gathering information related to income, insurance, housing needs, and damages through an initial interview. Applicants are then "routed" throughout the center, and directed to various agency tables depending on their identified needs.

Krause, who estimates the damages to his property at approximately $5000.00, says he contacted FEMA almost immediately and was told an inspector would visit his home to assess damages the following Wednesday.

Unfortunately, Krause said that Wednesday came and went and no inspector arrived at his home. He said he has not been contacted by FEMA since. 

"I'm sort of losing hope that things will ever get resolved," said Krause.

Jeff Miklos of Westchester, one of the hardest hit areas during the flooding, reports similar frustration. Miklos says he experienced nearly three feet of water in his basement, and had bailed out by hand almost twice that amount. He reports his damages in the thousands, with many items being irreplaceable.

After contacting FEMA and meeting with an inspector at his home, Miklos says he was denied any assistance.

"FEMA told me I had one inch of water and no property damage or loss. I have photos of my flooded basement, but I was told that all I can do is file an appeal with an estimate for mold abatement, but I'm not holding my breath," said Miklos.

Many residents of Western Springs are also turning to the Village for answers. Bill Nelson, Director of Municipal Services for the Village says that complaints to the village over flooding and water issues have increased this year. 

"The rains that occurred on July 23^rd were so heavy and intense; no sewer system could have handled the issue. It is natural for residents to look to the Village for answers and solutions to the problem," said Nelson. 

And the Village promises it is looking into the problem. Topping their agenda is increasing public education related to flooding issues, the workings of the Village's current sewer systems, and what residents can do independently to help protect their property, according to Nelson.

It is a complicated issue. Terms such as water table, ground saturation, run off and rain bulletins tend to go over the heads of laypeople and leave residents confused. Nelson says the Village is aware of resident concerns and is focused on increasing public understanding by keeping the most up to date information on the Village's website, and increasing informational mailings.

Dave and Nancy Thompson, who purchased a home on the 3900 block of Grand Avenue in 2009, say the village needs to do more.

"We found four inches of sewer water in our basement after we had almost finished remodeling, which put us back at least $15,000 in repairs and damages. Everything had to be replaced, including installing a drain tile system and a new sewage ejector," said Thompson. 

The situation spurned Thompson to contact the Village and request an inspection of the area surrounding his home. He says he was told that there was not much the Village could do since they are operating on an old system. 

"Being new to town, I am just amazed that people seem so complacent with the fact that they get water in their basements on a regular basis. It's not right, it's not safe, and more needs to be done to correct the problem," said Thompson.

The Village is planning a commission this fall to complete an update to the Combined  Sewer System Analysis. This analysis will use a computer model to assess current sewage and draining issues, and also issue a resident survey to gain public input on any current problems. One area the Village plans to further investigate is the effect of the numerous teardowns on the current system.

Many residents are hopeful that solutions will be found and change will come quickly. While awaiting word on disaster relief money or changes to current infrastructure, most residents agree on one thing. They are relieved to be leaving the summer of 2010 behind and are hoping for a much drier fall season.