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Darien council approves pilot to help homeowners install overhead sewers after July backups
Summary
The council approved a pilot program to contribute $5,000 per qualifying homeowner toward overhead‑sewer installations; DuPage County is expected to increase its grant to $7,500, making many retrofits effectively free for affected residents.
After extensive public comment about July 4 flooding and recurrent sanitary sewer backups, the council voted to approve an overhead‑sewer assistance pilot program that will reimburse qualifying homeowners $5,000 after DuPage County's grant is applied. City staff and councilmembers said the county program — which historically provided smaller grants — was expected to raise its contribution to $7,500, and that the city’s $5,000 would stack with the county award so that many retrofit installs costing roughly $13,000 or less would require no net homeowner payment.
Mayor Marquez summarized the program: eligible residents are those who experienced a sanitary sewer backup and who follow the county’s application and inspection process. City staffer Brian Vanna explained the reimbursement flow: the homeowner applies through the county, the county inspects and reimburses its share, and the city then issues the additional $5,000 reimbursement through its payroll process after notification that the county has processed the award. The council estimated the pilot might serve about 50 households; the motion passed on a recorded vote with seven ayes.
Several residents said they had already paid for partial or failing fixes (check valves, pumps) and welcomed the program as a way to access a more durable solution. Councilmembers said the initiative would reduce immediate financial barriers to installing overhead systems and that the city would publicize application steps and eligibility requirements with the county.
