Town sues water agency over West suburban flooding

Cicero is suing the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for $42 million over the recent spate of flooding in the West suburbs.

The suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, charges that the district failed to use its equipment and historical data "to adequately anticipate the need to open its devices to receive and dispose of all sewage."

It also charges that the water reclamation district opened locks in Wilmette in June and July to ease flooding in the North Shore suburbs, but "did not open the locks in Lockport, Ill., or elsewhere to release sewage from its storage facilities to avoid and/or reduce street and basement backup flooding in the western suburbs."

The suit says town officials and residents attempted to contact the agency, "with no success. Only a general complaint number was available, and ... no help was offered."

Cicero President Larry Dominick declared the town a disaster area after flooding July 24, and over two days 6,000 persons filed damage claims totaling an estimated $42 million.

The suit seeks accountability and a permanent injunction, as well as $42 million in damages.

Water reclamation district Executive Director Dick Lanyon said the suit's allegations were "not factual" and that the town was trying to find a scapegoat for an act of God. As for the locks, he said, "They were open in Wilmette. They were open at the mouth of the Chicago River. You cannot open the locks at Lockport, but we had the gates wide open at maximum flow. Everything was wide open."

Lanyon said he expected the court case to show that, and said he was not aware of the district ever being sued before by a municipality over flooding.