Chicago River Can't Reverse On Its Own From Low Lake Level

The MWRD explains how it is not possible for the Chicago River to reverse course on its own.

12 Ways to Improve Our Water Environment

The MWRD provides the top 12 ways to improve our water environment.

Water Woes Hit Homewood and the Heights: Patch Talk

This week it's all about water. Turns out Homewood and the Heights are dealing with similar issues when it comes to the clear stuff. Let's talk about the similarities and the differences between these two water (and money) related problems.

Flossmoor Votes 'Yes' On $7.2M Water System Repair

Flossmoor residents voted in favor of financing the $7.2 million repair project for their ailing water system.

Flossmoor residents Tuesday voted in favor of paying their part for $7.28 million needed for the village to fix a decrepit water system. With all precincts reporting, more than 80 percent of voters (4,192 compared to 1,046) approved the expenditure. The village plans to partition the project into three phases over the next eight years. The focus will be on repairing the worst 18 percent of the whole system. “We’re hopeful, if we’re targeting our most problematic (water) main, that we will get the most bang for our buck,” Flossmoor Village Manager Bridget Wachtel said in a former Patch article. According to the village, Flossmoor has been losing one out of every three gallons—$320,000 worth—of water due to leaks and main breaks. They hope …

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Should Flossmoor Ask Voters for $7.2 Million in Bonds?: On the Agenda

A preview of Aug. 20 Flossmoor village meeting agenda items.

Mayor Paul Braun and the Flossmoor Board of Trustees will meet Monday, Aug. 20, at 7:30 p.m. There will be time allotted for public communications. Click on the PDF above to see the full agenda for the school board meeting. The meeting will be taking place at Flossmoor Village Hall. The trustees will decide whether or not to go to referendum during the November election, to ask voters for $7,280,000 for crucial water system repairs. According to the agenda packet, the interest rate for the bonds is not to exceed 9 percent. The agenda also says the bonds would be sold at a rate of $3.5 million in the first year, $2.1 million in the fourth year and $1.72 million in the fifth year of the proposed eight year project. The board prviously held a…

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Flossmoor Considers Water System Repair Financing Options

Repairing a crucial portion of the village water mains is necessary, according to the village board, but doing so might come at a cost to residents.

“It needs to be done,” was the phrase uttered over and over by village trustees and Mayor Paul Braun alike during the Aug. 6 Flossmoor Village Board meeting. All village officials formerly agreed during a March meeting that Flossmoor’s water system is in dire need of repair, but how to finance it is what’s in question.  According to Flossmoor Village Manager Bridget Wachtel, a 2004 village water study conducted by a private engineering firm in conjunction with public works data resulted in a plan to replace the worst water main in the system via a three-phase program over the course of eight years. The plan intends to repair 10.8 percent of the entire system, 18 percent of the most problematic water main. This project comes with a $7.3 …

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Sitting on the fence

11:55 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012

Oh, I read about you in their Zone Board Meeting Minutes. You are that person from Homewood everyone is complaining about.   more ›

Water System Improvements: On the Agenda

Tonight's Flossmoor Village Board meeting agenda.

Mayor Paul Braun and the Flossmoor Board of Trustees will meet Monday, Aug. 6, at 7:30 p.m. There will be time allotted for public communications. Click on the PDF above to see the full agenda for the school board meeting. The meeting will be taking place at Flossmoor Village Hall.

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Memories of Former Homewood Resident Flow Through Tinley Pump House

The village of Tinley Park recently gave a fitting tribute to the village's former water superintendent, James Nietfeldt, who lived on 183rd Street in Homewood. He died slightly more than a year ago on his birthday. He was turning 46.

When you ponder the concept of a tribute, a pump house may not be the first thing to cross your mind. But there's no more fitting honor for late Tinley Park Water Superintendent and Homewood resident James Nietfeldt, family said. Officials dedicated a pump house that he helped with "from start to finish" during a ceremony on May 24, a little more than a year after he died following a lengthy battle with colon cancer. He was 46 years old. His widow, Stacy Nietfeldt, applauded the village for its work giving her husband a well deserved nod. “There’s a plaque outside on the wall and there’s a big rock with an engraving on it in front of the pump house," she said, adding that the house, which stands at 183rd Street and Ridgeland Avenue, was …

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New Flossmoor Police Cars; Water Agreement: On the Agenda

A preview of what's on the agenda for Monday night's Flossmoor Village Board meeting.

Flossmoor Mayor Paul Braun and the village trustees will meet at Flossmoor Village Hall on Monday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. Two New Police Cruisers Flossmoor's police force might be getting a makeover should the village board approve the purchase of two new Chevrolet Impala police vehicles at the grand total of $49,999.24—$4,500.76 under budget. The new Impalas will stand in contrast to the current fleet of Ford Crown Victorias, which Ford ceased production on. The new vehicles will be more technologically capable and they boast better fuel economy than the Crown Victoria.  Water Extension Agreement The arguably convoluted process of water delivery from Chicago, through Harvey and Homewood to Flossmoor will be voted on during tonight's meeting…

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Water Woes After Chicago Increases Prices

Did you know your water bill was recently affected by a 25 percent increase in water price from Chicago? Well—it's going to be getting worse.

Homewood and Flossmoor residents might be unhappy with their water bill thanks to increased water rates imposed by the City of Chicago. According to a report by the Chicago Tribune, water rates have risen 25 percent since Jan. 1 and annual 15 percent hikes are planned for the next three years. This will more than double the former costs within a few years. The Trib says the current conditions are stimulating different suburban tows to consider alternatives. This was discussed during a recent Homewood Village Board meeting, but it was determined that any alternatives would not feasibly avail themselves for at least a few years, so they’re sticking with Chicago for the time being. The rate hike is a necessary move to keep an aging system …

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