Forest Park workshop focuses on siting replacement water storage after reservoir failure; council gives staff guidance but no vote

Forest Park leaders spent a special workshop evaluating where to locate replacement water storage after a malfunction at the Jackson Boulevard pump station flooded the community center and exposed structural problems in the village’s aging underground reservoir.

The council heard technical briefings from Village Administrator Rachel Penner and consultants from Burke Engineering, reviewed three principal sites — the current Jackson site, village-owned land at the Altenheim property and the CTA parking lot — and discussed trade-offs among constructability, soil remediation costs and long-term community use. No formal vote was taken; councilors asked staff to return with cost estimates, funding options and more detailed designs.

Why it matters: Director Stella told the board the overnight failure of a pressure transducer triggered erroneous zero readings that opened an import valve and allowed floodwater into the pump station and community center, forcing immediate remediation and insurance claims. Staff also reported visible cracks in the reservoir cover and said shoring has been installed under the community-center portion to protect the building and nearby childcare space. "There was water coming from everywhere in the buildings," Director Stella said during her presentation.

Engineer…