Arlington Heights acts to help flood victims

The Arlington Heights Village Board took small steps Monday toward helping residents with flooding issues.

Trustees agreed to raise to $7,500 the maximum amount the village will reimburse residents who install flood-reducing overhead sewers. The village match previously was held to $5,000 or less.

Residents repairing damage caused by the record July 23 rainstorm also will receive free building permits through July 25, 2012, extending the fee waiver well past its previous Oct. 31 expiration date.

Overhead sewers, which have been required for new homes since 1975, put sanitary sewage into the street system at such an angle that heavy stormwater will not cause it to back up into a house.

Installation costs for the 16 residents who participated in the program between 2006 and July 23 of this year ranged from $4,023 to $15,695, according to a report from Village Manager Bill Dixon. Homeowners are responsible for the costs of any repairs the home needs after installation.

Thirty-one more residents have applied for the rebates since July 23. The larger match will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2011.

Village President Arlene Mulder asked if the village could help residents band together to get a better price on overhead sewer installations.

But since the work takes place on private property, it probably would be best for someone in each neighborhood to take the initiative to organize residents to get a group price, Dixon said.

Village staff is expected to give a report to the village board soon on possible ways to reduce flooding.