Itasca reviews expanded rear-yard drainage assistance program after 2018 floods

Itasca village staff presented an update on the village's rear-yard drainage assistance program, reviewing eligibility, use since a major May 2018 rainfall event and related stormwater initiatives. The presentation described how the program works, how often it has been used and the capped reimbursement the village provides to homeowners.

The update matters to Itasca homeowners because the program helps residents pay for engineered solutions when stormwater causes structural damage or when water stands on private property for more than 72 hours. Village staff also described steps the village has taken to track flood reports and to coordinate small-scale and larger infrastructure work.

Mark, Public Works engineer, said the village first surveyed residents after a heavy 2018 rainfall that included a 3.4-inch event in roughly 90 minutes and used the responses to categorize complaints into sanitary sewer backups, stormwater entering structures, yard flooding and street flooding. He said the program is available only to Itasca residents and sets eligibility…