Wheeling exploring flood solutions

Wheeling officials may begin a study with the goal of persuading Cook County to help prevent flooding in village neighborhoods.

Several areas in Wheeling were hit hard by the heavy rains and flooding in September, including Lakeside Villas and homes on Jackson Drive.

"The flooding is very pronounced," Village Manager Mark Rooney said.

He said much of the water comes from Buffalo Grove and Arlington Heights, so the village is asking Cook County to connect Wheeling to its storm sewer system, since it's not just a village problem.

However, the county is asking Wheeling to spend money on building a retention pond before it can connect to the system. The goal of the study is to find other solutions to flooding and also try to convince county officials that the problem should be handled on their end.

The board will vote on approving the study, which could cost from $50,000 to $75,000, after bids go out to engineering companies. Tony Stavros, director of public works, said Wheeling High School owns the Longtree Basin, which it purchased about 15 years ago to possibly convert into soccer fields.

That never happened because of problems with the land, and he said the village could possibly work with the high school to turn that area into a retention area.

Erik Gil, a consultant for flooding, said he would also recommend coordinating with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District on studies that organization is doing.