Flooding forces Warrenville to declare state of emergency

A state of emergency has been declared in Warrenville after the city experienced its worst flooding in years.

City Administrator John Coakley said there’s street flooding, basement flooding and the West Branch of the DuPage River is “very high.”

“We’ve got about five miles length of river running through our town,” Coakley said. “Many different areas have standing water. We have the entire public works crews out doing everything they can.”

Mayor David Brummel declared a state of emergency about 10:15 a.m. He said took a tour of the town and “it’s looking pretty grim out there.”

“There’s a lot of water everywhere — not just by the river,” said Brummel, adding that officials believe the flooding could be worse than what the town experienced in September 2008.

Brummel said he fears “the worst has not happened yet.”

In the meantime, the following major roadways in Warrenville are closed:

Ÿ Westbound Butterfield Road at Route 59 (west of the tracks)

Ÿ Eastbound Batavia Road, from Route 59 to Country Ridge Drive

Ÿ Williams Road, from Batavia Road to Iroquois

Ÿ Branch Avenue west of Riverside

Ÿ Mack Road, between Bristol and Deerfield

Residents needing sandbags can call public works at (630) 393-9050. However, due to the volume of requests, public works will address each request on a first call, first serve basis. Callers will need to provide their name, address, phone number and amount requested.

Residents also can pick up sandbags at the public works facility located at 3S346 Mignin, Warrenville.