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Elmwood Park gets $5.2 million for sewer project
Updated: May 27, 2012 8:04AM
Elmwood Park may be one step closer to solving its flooding problems when it receives a $5.2 million grant from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
The MWRD has followed through on its commitment and approved the grant, village official said last week. The money will go toward the village’s conceptual plan to alleviate flooding.
Elmwood Park has suffered heavy flooding over the past two years causing damage to homes and businesses.
“It (the grant) pays for part of the construction, but you still have to pay for the whole thing,” said Village President Peter Silvestri.
The overall project, called Flood Reduction Capital Improvement Project, would cost the village $20 million to put in place.
The village hopes to build a new storm sewer system that would convey only storm water southwest into a golf course tributary on Oak Park Country Club property.
The project would also involve new inlets installed to convey street water runoff into the new sewer system, which would have reinforced concrete box culverts as well as a pumping station. A floodwall would also be constructed on the west side of Thatcher Road.
Elmwood Park Mayor Peter Silvestri said they are seeking other grants to fill the financial gap to pay for the project. The village has sought a $10 million grant from Environmental Protection Agency.
He said April 16 that he has been talking to Congressman Mike Quigley, D-5th, but is unsure if they’ll receive the funds. Silvestri said they are still looking at creative ways to fund the project.
“The last resort is to tax,” he said.
Silvestri said residents could decide through a referendum to raise taxes to pay for the remainder of the project or through their current tax levy ordinance.
