Rain Rain Go Away!

It's been well over a year now since The No Flood Zone blog was created. A group of concerned 8th Ward residents embarked on a collaborative effort to persuade the Mayor and City Council to accelerate the flood project scheduled for Marshall Drive, a street on which my family has lived for 24 years. Many of my neighbors were affected when excessively heavy rainfalls exceeded the storm sewer capacity, which historically had been about 1.25 inches per hour. In particular, for each of the past four years, there has been at least one significant rainfall, which resulted in street flooding. Not every one of these led to property damage, but the rain events created a great deal of stress for those affected.

It is January 2011, and the long-awaited Marshall Drive project is now complete. A new 36-inch storm sewer was installed, and the old 18-inch line is still intact. In addition, the Willie Road reservoir was created for emergency runoff. These changes provide for significant storm water capacity. The big questions, of course, are whether it will work, how many households will benefit, and whether the sanitary sewer also needs an overhaul. Cordial Drive, which runs into Marshall Drive, has had a history of flooding, but the project did not involve any work on this street. However, due to the interconnectedness of the sewer systems, one would expect some relief for folks who live on Cordial. The only way to find out for sure is to experience another torrential downpour, but I don't think any of us are ready for that!!

While I certainly am glad our storm sewer work has finally been completed, going through this long and epic battle has made me realize the importance of a sound infrastructure, something which is too often neglected, probably due to the significant cost involved. As homeowners, we face a similar dilemma. For example, if you had $20,000 to spend on remodeling, would you rather spend it on beautifying your kitchen, or fixing your plumbing? The City Council has historically struggled with making monetary commitments to infrastructure work and has placed more emphasis on cosmetic improvements. After all, storm sewer work doesn't do much to improve the look of the City of Des Plaines!

Mayor Moylan has made it clear that upgrading the City's infrastructure is a priority. In fact, when the City Council was split on whether to accelerate the Storm Water Master Plan and complete the work on Marshall Drive ahead of schedule, he cast the tiebreaking vote. For years, our alderman, Rosemary Argus, tried to take care of our flooding problems, but former mayors and City Council members did not support her. The current administration is getting the job done, and my message to them is to continue to work collaboratively and take care of the residents of Des Plaines.

In a report to the City Council, I cited several reasons why flood mitigation work was important. Among these reasons was the obligation of a local government to protect its citizens. In many ways, a flood is like a thief that robs you of your property, your health, and your time. The City of Des Plaines needs to remain committed to mitigating flood damage, a problem which has plagued our community for decades. Whenever I tell people where I live, a common response is, "Doesn't it flood there?" There is a stigma on our community, and one way to remove it is for the residents to be vigilant and to hold our government officials accountable for their actions. Many people have just given up out of disgust, but that is not the answer. I am thankful I never quit, although I will admit, I experienced many moments of discouragement and despair. The No Flood Zone was formed because residents decided it was time to take action. The result is that we sent a clear message and got something accomplished.

I am also delighted to learn that one member of our group, Austin Stanton, is going to run for the alderman position vacated by Rosemary Argus. One benefit of getting involved in a local community matter is the satisfaction that comes from working with others toward a common goal. While this blog has focused on one issue - flooding - we recognize that city officials are faced with a host of other problems and challenges. However, solving those problems requires the same strategic approach based on concern, commitment and collaboration. I personally wish Austin well in his honorable pursuit to serve the people of Des Plaines and to take part in accomplishing great things for our community!