Private Engineering

Cause: Drainage has been blocked
Solution: Remove blockage.

Drainage problems can develop over time from debris, sedimentation or obstructions like sand boxes, firewood and shrubbery. Removal of these obstructions can restore proper drainage.

If a blockage occurs in a public right-of-way such as an inlet or catch basin, the Village’s Public Works Department should be contacted for maintenance work. Residents can assist in this effort by removing leaves, grass and trash from these structures. If a blockage is on private property, that property owner should be approached to determine whether the blockage can be voluntarily removed. If there is a dispute over removing a blockage on private property, state drainage law may provide recourse for its removal. The Village’s Community Development Department can offer guidance in this circumstance.

Note that debris removal from a culvert during heavy runoff can be hazardous. Therefore, preventative maintenance is best to ensure adequate drainage.

Cause: Yard is flat with minor ponding (< 3 days)
Solution: Install a drain tile, swale or dry well.

Drain tiles and swales provide a pathway for water to flow through to higher land.  Drain tiles should slope at least two percent (two feet fall for every 100 feet of length). Drain tiles may be perforated (water seeps into tile) or non-perforated (water enters through inlets). Drain tiles discharge either to a front yard or into a storm sewer inlet, as allowed by the Village.  Connection to a combined sewer (sanitary and storm) is not permitted.

Swales should slope at least one percent (one foot of fall for every 100 feet of length).  Gutter downspouts should extend to swales via non-perforated tiles. The ground surface around the house should slope away from the foundation toward the swales.

Dry wells are underground retention areas. They absorb frequent rainfalls that pose problems for grass growth. Dry wells will occasionally overflow after successive rainfalls or especially heavy rainfalls. Dry wells are generally installed when drain tiles and swales are unfeasible.

This work requires a building permit from the Village. The Village reviews such projects to ensure that there will be no adverse impact on other property owners.

Cause: Yard is low with major ponding (> 3 days)
Solution: Install a yard drain or swale.

Drain tiles and swales provide a pathway for water to flow through to higher land.  Drain tiles should slope at least two percent (two feet fall for every 100 feet of length). Drain tiles may be perforated (water seeps into tile) or non-perforated (water enters through inlets). Drain tiles discharge either to a front yard or into a storm sewer inlet, as allowed by the Village. Connection to a combined sewer (sanitary and storm) is not permitted.

Swales should slope at least one percent (one foot of fall for every 100 feet of length).  Gutter downspouts should extend to swales via non-perforated tiles. The ground surface around the house should slope away from the foundation toward the swales.

This work requires a building permit from the Village. The Village reviews such projects to ensure that there will be no adverse impact on other property owners.

The Village has created a Residential Drainage Program to reimburse two or more qualifying property owners for half of the cost of reducing yard ponding. Contact the Community Development Department at (630) 620-5749, or visit the Grants page, for more information.

Cause: Yard is in a floodplain
Solution: Regrade yard but maintain floodplain storage.

It may be possible to regrade a yard that is in a floodplain. By lowering some areas through excavation, other areas may be raised by filling. However, the post-construction floodplain should store and pass water in about the same manner as the pre-construction floodplain.  This work requires the assistance of a registered professional engineer. Permits are required from the Village and DuPage County.

Cause: Cracks in the floor and/or walls
Solution: Install a sump pump and stop or control seepage.

Hairline cracks are normal in large poured concrete surfaces such as basement floors and normally do not present a problem for seepage. However, larger cracks in basement floors and walls can and do result from uneven settlement and/or groundwater pressure.

If water seeps through the floor or walls, it is the result of a high water table next to the house.  Therefore, installing a sump pump and drain tile around the outside walls or beneath the basement floor will draw down the water table to relieve the pressure against the house.

Once the drain tile and sump pump are in place, the cracks can be filled to attempt to stop any remaining seepage. Cracks should be widened and cleaned so that both the interior and exterior of the wall can be filled with hydraulic cement. An alternative to filling cracks is to apply a waterproof veneer to the exterior of the walls.

Block foundations are difficult to seal so a baseboard drainage system may pose a better solution.  A heavy-duty vinyl baseboard is cemented to the floor with an adhesive caulk along the leaking wall.  Holes are then drilled along the base of the wall to relieve pressure against the wall and the water is channeled between the baseboard and wall to the sump pump. If desired, the block wall can then be enclosed with wallboard or paneling over plastic sheeting on treated furring strips.

Cause: Water flowing in from sump pit
Solution: Upsize or add another sump pump.

Window wells should drain into the foundation drain. A surcharging foundation drain can result in slow drainage from window wells. A second pump in the sump pit is preferred to simply oversizing the one pump to provide a measure of protection in the event of a pump failure.  A battery backup pump not only provides additional capacity but will also function during a power outage.

The window well casing should be resealed against the foundation and any settled ground adjacent to the foundation should be raised.

Alarms that detect water on the floor provide early warning of rising water.  Such alarms are widely available at a reasonable price.

Cause: Power loss
Solution: Install a battery backup pump.

A battery backup pump not only provides additional capacity but will also function during a power outage. Many models include an alarm to indicate when the pump has activated and when the battery should be replaced.

Alarms that detect water on the floor provide early warning of rising water. Such alarms are widely available at a reasonable price.

Cause: Floor drain backup
Solution: Clean the sanitary line and install backflow prevention.

Floor drains are connected to sanitary sewer. Therefore, backups should be completely sanitized using a disinfectant, such as bleach. Gloves and other precautions should be used.

Sanitary service lines can become clogged due to tree roots or large flushed objects. A sewer contractor may be needed to clear the service line of the blockage. Such a backup occurs independently of a heavy rainfall.

Certain sanitary sewers may surcharge following a heavy rainfall due to inflow and infiltration. In fact, some sewers are combined, meaning that they convey not only sanitary effluent but also stormwater. Checking valves, floor plugs or standpipes can prevent such backups.

Alarms that detect water on the floor provide early warning of rising water. Such alarms are widely available at a reasonable price.

Cause: Windows or doors are below floodplain elevation
Solution: Construct floodwalls/berms or raise the house.

Some older homes were constructed in floodplains. A floodwall or berm can be constructed around low points such as doorways and window wells to prevent water from entering the house.  In more extreme cases, the house can be raised above the floodplain elevation. Advantages of the latter can be reduced flood insurance premiums and increased resale value.

View the flood plain maps for the Village of Lombard

Cause: Inadequate local drainage around the house
Solution: Install a storm sewer or improve swales.

Drain tiles and swales provide a pathway for water to flow through higher land. Drain tiles should slope at least two percent (two feet of fall for every 100 feet of length). Drain tiles may be perforated (water seeps into tile) or non-perforated (water enters through inlets). Drain tiles discharge either to a front yard or into a storm sewer inlet, as allowed by the Village. Connection to a combined sewer (sanitary and storm) is not permitted.

Swales should slope at least one percent (one foot of fall for every 100 feet). Gutter downspouts should extend to swales via non-perforated tiles. The ground surface around the house should slope away from the foundation toward the swales.

Cause: Drainage is blocked
Solution: Remove blockage.

Drainage problems in a floodplain can develop over time from debris, sedimentation or unauthorized construction. Removal of these obstructions can restore proper drainage.

The Village’s Public Works Department should be contacted if a blockage is a public right-of-way such as in a road culvert or ditch.  Property owners are responsible for drainage on private property.  Contact the Village’s Community Development Department at (630) 620-5750 if there is a dispute over the removal of a blockage on private property.

Note that debris removal from a culvert during heavy rainfall can be hazardous.  Therefore, preventative maintenance is best to ensure adequate drainage.