North Shore Drive Residents Plead for City's Help with Water, Sewer Backup Woes

A cleaning company spent Monday working on Patty Congine's house at 770 North Shore Drive, but one day later her Crystal Lake house still smells of sewage. 

Congine's home was one of several that experienced severe flooding during the June 26 storm that dumped 4.5 to over 5 inches of rain on the city. Congine's flooding was so severe, sewage backed into her basement causing $70,000 damage, she said.

"We had four feet of sewer water in our basement at one point," Congine told Crystal Lake City Council members on Tuesday night. "....It looked like the Fox River in my basement....the stench in our house is sewer." 

Congine told the council her home is a complete "loss," adding that her insurance company has denied her claim.

She was one of six North Shore Drive residents who appealed for help from the city council. Residents want to know what caused the sewage to back into their homes.

Some asked if recent road improvements on North Shore may have forced more water toward their houses. Others questioned whether the power outage along North Shore Drive the day of the storm caused the city's lift station to fail. 
  
Mayor Aaron T. Shepley said the city staffers have been working "tirelessly" since the storm investigating all aspects of the flooding woes on North Shore Drive and other areas including Woodland Drive and Oriole Trail.

The city will hold an informational Open House from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at the Crystal Lake Municipal Complex, 100 W. Woodstock St., to share findings from the investigation with the flooding victims. 

However, the mayor warned the residents it could turn out that Mother Nature is to blame. 

"That kind of rain event exceeded any community's capacity to move the water," Shepley said. "We're going to do everything we can to help the homeowners, but we have to make sure we address all situations in a fair manner." 

Shepley declared a local disaster in the wake of the storm.

In all, 50 streets in Crystal Lake were initially closed after the downpour made several intersections and roadways impassable. All but two streets were re-opened by that evening, according to Erik Morimoto, building and engineering director for the city. 

Two power outages were reported following the storm: one on North Shore Drive and another near Golf Course Road. A total of 62 basements were reported flooded throughout the community, he said. 

Michael Thinnes, president of Lake Street Beach Assoc., lives at 820 North Shore Drive and said his house suffered up to $30,000 after storm and sewer water destroyed the basement he only finished a few months ago. With help from his friends, he has worked to remove damaged drywall and other debris.

With so many of his belongings destroyed in the flood, his son has been sleeping on the couch, and Thinnes has been sleeping on the floor. But his girlfriend and his three-month-old baby have been living with relatives.

"I'd like to get my kids home," Thinnes told city council members. "I hope that we can work together and find a solution.