Berwyn approves flood mitigation plan for residents

BERWYN – Berwyn's Flood Mitigation Shared Cost Pilot Program is now official.

The City Council approved the program Nov. 12, which was established to provide financial assistance to Berwyn homeowners who install systems that prevent sewer backup during heavy rains when the city's sewers are at capacity.

Assistant City Administrator Evan Summers said there were some minor changes made to the plan from what was presented at an Oct. 28 Committee of the Whole meeting. City Traffic Engineer Nicole Campbell said she clarified how a resident can get on a waiting list to participate in the program.

Summers said anyone with questions about flooding issues should to go to the city's website at www.berewyn-il.gov, and seek out the Find Flood Information link on the right side of the web page.

"We're trying to make that a one-stop shop for flooding control issues in town," Summers said.

Under the program, owners of occupied single-family homes who experience sewer backup in a gravity sewer line are eligible for a one-time program to seek financial assistance for three separate options that would help in eliminating basement flooding.

First, the overhead sewer systems program, the most expensive of all the options, calls for redirecting indoor waste plumbing to eliminate all gravity drainage below the basement floor.

In a second option, residents can get assistance in installing back-flow prevention valves and a bypass pump in a vault outside of the home, located between the home and the city sewer line. The valves prevent water from running back toward the homeowner's basement when the city's system is overloaded. The vault collects water until a time when the system can accept it.

The third option calls for the installation of a back-flow valve only, on a lateral sewer line to prevent water back up.

Participants may qualify for the cost sharing programs of up to 50 percent of total costs up to $3,500 for one of the three options.

Participants will be required to disconnect roof drainage/downspouts and footing drain sump pumps from sewer systems in order to be eligible. In the event of a hardship, an exemption can be granted.

A preliminary inspection is required by the Engineering Department before any disconnects are completed if a property owner plans to disconnect, or is interested in the rain barrel program now offered through the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

The flood mitigation plan comes as a result of numerous reports of flooding all over Berwyn following several, unusually heavy storms that dropped several inches of water virtually in minutes in recent years.

To date, 70 residents have filled out applications for assistance, Summers said.

Those wishing to participate must contact the Engineering Department in person or in writing by emailing stormwater@ci.berwyn.il.us, or through fax at 708-749-6593.

The form can also be printed filled out and printed from www.berwyn-il.gov.