Floodwaters are starting to recede in much of McHenry County, and roads are reopening.

And while not much rain is in the forecast, here’s what to know about cleanup, sandbag disposal and health precautions.

Rawson Bridge Road and River Road both reopened Wednesday.

What resources are available to me if I have been affected by flooding?

If you have an emergency, authorities said to call 911. If you have a nonemergency flood issue, call 211.

County officials are asking people to fill out a survey to report their flood damage. The deadline was Thursday, but McHenry County Emergency Management Agency Director David Christensen said people can fill it out after that. If more people don’t fill out the survey, officials have said, the county is unlikely to qualify for federal assistance.

Filling out the survey alerts authorities that resources are needed, and Christensen said not filling out the survey sends a message that extra resources are not needed. As of Thursday, Christensen said, only seven people had turned in surveys. In the 2017 floods, 600 homes were damaged, Christensen said.

The county went door-to-door during 2017. Based on the limited response so far, Christensen said, officials don’t plan to do that this time. But officials may go door-to-door if more people turn in their surveys, based on what they get. If the county was going for a presidential declaration, Christensen said, crews would definitely be going door-to-door to gather more information and further assess any damage.

The survey can be accessed at bit.ly/4sSAVHE. Officials estimate it will take about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

The county has launched a flood information headquarters page for residents at mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/flood-headquarters.

How do I start cleaning up?

Nick Kubiak, McHenry County Department of Health public information officer, said anything that can go in regular garbage should go there and people should call their waste hauler to pick it up.

Ideally, residents should use separate bins for contaminated items versus normal garbage, Kubiak said. People should use personal protective equipment and clothing such as gloves or face masks when handling contaminated debris.

Not everything that has been damaged by floodwaters can be disposed of in regular trash.

Sharps should be disposed of in a sharps container, and people can find out if their pharmacy, healthcare facility or clinic will take back sharps. Kubiak said people also might be able to use a mail-back service for sharps.

Hazardous household waste – including things such as most cleaners, paint, paint thinners, pesticides, herbicides, degreasers and many oil- or petroleum-based items – should not be disposed of in regular garbage. They must be disposed of at an EPA-approved drop-off site. Sites are available in Rockford, Gurnee, Naperville and Chicago, but the health department will offer a recycling event in June.

As for appliances, many appliance retailers will take your old one if you buy a new one. Metal scrapyards may offer a drop-off service for appliances. Full information is available on the county website at bit.ly/3OB95lr.

For larger items, such as mattresses that soaked up floodwater, The health department recommends calling your waste hauler to arrange pickup.

To clean hard surfaces, the department recommends removing dirt, mud and debris; washing thoroughly with warm, soapy water; and disinfecting using a bleach solution or approved disinfectant.

Once floodwaters have receded, people should call pumping and well contractors to make sure their wells and septic systems are safe to use.

What to do with sandbags?

As floodwaters recede, people also need to dispose of used sandbags. How to do so varies based on where you live and whether they came into contact with floodwater.

The health department said that sandbags that have not touched floodwaters can be reused. Sandbags that have touched floodwaters shouldn’t be used for things such as children’s play areas or gardening. Sandbags contaminated with oil or waste should go to a landfill.

When in doubt, people should assume the sandbags are contaminated. People can call their waste hauler to figure out next steps, Kubiak said.

In McHenry Township, operations manager Adam Vick, said it might be a week before it is safe to remove sandbags. The township is figuring out how to safely dispose of the sandbags, but will keep residents informed when it is time to remove them.

In the city of McHenry, Public Works Director Russ Adams, said the city wasn’t organizing sandbag collections, but residents with questions or concerns about sandbag disposal can contact the public works department.

In Nunda Township, Highway Commissioner Rob Parrish said residents should leave their sandbags at the edge of the road when they feel it is safe to remove them. The road district will pick them up and dispose of them.

What about mosquitoes?

Officials urge the public to be aware that floodwater mosquitoes are going to be around in large numbers. The mosquitoes are not considered to be significant carriers of human disease, but West Nile virus season is around the corner.

“Floodwater or nuisance mosquitoes, known as Aedes vexans, are likely to emerge in large numbers. These mosquitoes are aggressive daytime biters but are not considered significant carriers of human disease in Illinois,” the McHenry County Department of Health said in a news release.

Culex mosquitoes, the primary carriers of West Nile virus, tend to breed in stagnant water with high organic content.

Rimless tires, abandoned swimming pools, buckets, birdbaths and clogged gutters are common breeding sites for Culex mosquitoes, and people should eliminate standing water around their homes and make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens, according to the release.

Most people infected by West Nile virus don’t develop symptoms, but about one in five may have mild symptoms such as headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting or rashes.

In rare cases, severe illness, including high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, tremors, muscle weakness, vision loss, paralysis or death can occur, according to the release. Adults older than 50 and those with certain underlying health conditions are at greater risk for severe illness.

Symptoms typically develop between two and 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and there is no vaccine for West Nile virus.

The health department said it begins West Nile surveillance in May via collecting and testing mosquito batches weekly throughout mosquito season, which typically runs through October. However, the risk of West Nile virus remains until the first hard frost.

Residents should take precautions when outdoors, including wearing light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants and applying EPA-registered insect repellents according to label instructions.

“Effective repellents contain one of the following active ingredients:

• DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide)
• Picaridin (KBR 3023)
• IR3535
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
• Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone

Consult with a doctor before using any repellent on infants. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has compiled a list of EPA-registered repellents; visit ‘Find the Right Repellent that is Right for You’.

The MCDH reminds residents to follow the “3 Rs” of mosquito prevention:

• Reduce standing water by emptying containers and maintaining proper drainage around your home.
• Repel mosquitoes by using EPA-registered insect repellent.
• Report areas where stagnant water remains for more than one week," according to the release.