Village of Lombard Legistar System

Chairperson Steven Sebby announced that several residents had signed up to speak

this evening and recognized Frederick Meller.

Frederick Meller, 63 S. Columbine, expressed concern with runoff from Phillips Court

into his yard. He said that the yards of several homes on Route 53 flood and all the

homes on Phillips court. He asked why nothing is done and said there is a pipe on the

other side of Route 53 causing it. A stormwater station has to be manned to get the

pumps going when it rains it seems that some gate has to be opened or we start getting

flooded.

Ken Peshe, 521 Phillips Court, commented that the gate on the other side of I355

controls the water that flows up Phillips Ct. when the floodgate is not open the street

floods. He also mentioned the new pond at Crescent and St. Charles which he said had

no water in the recent heavy rains and the one on Finley at Charles Lane was full. He

said there is a need for an early warning system to notify residents and the Village or if

the Village could monitor the situation it would help. He asked the Village for results

Dominick D'Ambrosia commented on flooding on DuPage Avenue and Berkshire saying

that improvements were made in 1993 and has made no improvement in the flooding

situation. He said that the inlets are not taking the water and the surcharging of the

sanitary sewer has caused sewage on sidewalks, street and lawns.

Connie Meller added that she can see a puddle starting at the neighbors yard then water

fills the ditch, she then calls 911 to have them open up the flood gates. The Village

doesn't always come in time. She said that there are small children in the area and the

manhole covers come up and they could fall in, when the covers come off they then

have sewage in the yards.

Karen Lesser, 53 W. Berkshire, questioned why the sewer has to blow and the

rainwater is not diverted before this situation occurs.

Joe Gange, 515 Phillips Court, said that he Has had much experience with the Lombard

sewer system as he served on the committee for separating the sewers and redoing

them in the 1970s. He explained that the neighbors are speaking of the lift station when

they speak of opening the gates. He had his family room full of water this Sunday. He

had been told that the lift station was to have been an automatic system. Once they

activate the lift station the water recedes within an hour but by that time the may have 3

feet of water in their homes. He called for the Village to change the system so there is

someplace for the water to go. He asked that the lift station be automated or have

someone available to man the station when they need it. He said that the area is not

listed as a flood plain the lift station needs to be addressed. He also does not

understand why the sewer surcharges.

Mike Stern 107 W. Crystal said their sewer surcharges several feet in the air and the

area was underwater for a long time. As an engineer her felt that the problem can be

solved. He asked the Village to investigate to see if it is built wrong or there is some

type of blockage.

Trustee Sebby questioned Public Works Director Stan Rickard about the manual lift

station or a gate. Mr. Rickard said that the Route 53 Stormwater Station is automated.

He said that he will check that it is functioning properly. He also commented that the

storm sewers designed for 10 year storm this was a 33 year storm. He said in those

conditions you do see the manhole covers blowing off, street flooding and yard flooding.

He said that other areas in town surcharge also in those type of storms. He said that

the inflow of clearwater groundwater which gets into the sanitary sewer contributes to

the surcharging and he said that they have found downspouts and other illegal

connections into the sanitary sewers. He reminded the residents of the high costs of

sewer installations in these projects as highlighted in the Capital Improvement Program.

He said that the elimination of the clear water will help. Village Engineer David Dratnol

agreed that we do have a 10 year storm criteria and the greater storms you will have

flooding problems.

John Kaforski said that they had done an extensive study in the Crystal area in

particular 106 W. Crystal and the area is very low lying. Some of the members asked

about the details and outcome of the study. David Dratnol said it had been a few years

ago and that they can bring back their findings at a later meeting. He said that the area

on Crystal is the same level as the pond. Ms. Lesser commented that water is one thing

but that sewage is something else. The Committee commented that the sanitary sewers

surcharge due to the combined sewers in various areas of town.

Mike Stern said that their basement was clear water but there were six other houses

that flooded. He has seen the surcharging several times in the last four years.

President Mueller said that storm was only predicted to be 3 inches and turned out to be

8 inches. He mentioned that to get barricades to everyone is not possible in this type of

event. He said that the Village has met to address the issue of how they can better

serve the public getting more barricades.

David Dratnol mentioned that leaves often block the inlets and residents need to keep

track of what is happening at the inlets. Director Rickard explained, in response to Mr.

Pesche's question, that the Crescent Pond if a different design, it is to take in water

when the storm sewer on Crescent gets a certain depth. It is designed to detain water

from the downtown area. It did take some water that night later in the storm when it

does it is pumped out at a reduced rate.

President Mueller asked if the pond relieves Phillips Ct.also. Mr. Rickard said that the

Crescent sewer goes right to the River. When asked where the water in their area is

coming from Rickard answered that is from the whole northwest area of the Village.

The question was asked why the manholes surcharge all the time. They said that any

large rains cause problems in the area There was some discussion by the neighbors

that the lift station was not automated or had been damaged when the Tollway was built.

Mueller said that the station had been manual and was recently updated to be

automatic. He corrected the rumor that Glen Ellyn controls that lift station, that the

treatment plant is owned by both Villages and we can send as much water to the plant

as necessary.

Dominick D'Ambrosia asked if it was true that when the Terrace View pond gets higher

than the level of the sewer it floods. Director Rickard confirmed that it will flood Crystal.

President Mueller said that he had been in a meeting that said water tables are rising

because we don't use ground water as we have Lake Michigan water instead of wells

and by 2025 we will have serious problems. He also pointed out that as the water tables

rise underground streams, of which Lombard has a few, will rise.

Director Rickard said that answers to the residents' concerns will be presented at the

December 11th Public Works meeting. President Mueller suggested that the report be

mailed to the residents as the next meeting will be a joint meeting again and they could

come to a later Public Works meeting to discuss.

It was mentioned that area is flood plain and questioned if it is true that you can buy

flood insurance. President Mueller said that you can buy it in an approved community

which Lombard is.