Arlington Hts. uses grant for sewer work to stem flooding

While many suburbs are still cleaning up from flooding, Arlington Heights announced the village will use a $200,000 state grant to extend storm sewers in eight locations this summer.

The village board this month approved a contract for $166,644 with Glenview-based American Underground for the improvements, but the work will be paid for with the grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Engineering Director Jim Massarelli said.

For some residents, chronic flooding has been an issue because their homes aren’t connected to the village storm sewer system to help drain water from their property.

Some areas of town don’t have a place for residents to connect because the system doesn’t reach that far, Massarelli said.

“There were a number of residents where there wasn’t really a way for them to improve their flooding situation without the storm sewers being extended,” he said.

Construction will start in the next four to six weeks and will take about six weeks to complete.

Two years ago, the village board approved money for this project. However, with the grant award, the money has been set aside for a second phase of more storm-sewer improvements to be done in other areas of the village next year, he said.

Massarelli said the eight areas to be upgraded are: the 300 block of South Donald Avenue; the 900 block of East Jules Street; the 1100 block of North Princeton Avenue; the 1100 block of North Belmont Avenue; the 1300 block of West Hawthorne Street; the 700 block of North Douglas Avenue; the 200 block of North Haddow Avenue; and the 1200 block of North Mitchell Avenue.

The village also has two studies under way to address flooding issues from the 2011 storm. Those results are expected later this year.