The City of Naperville has received a total of $1.23 million for three different 2023 stormwater management projects in the area.
The funding was approved by the DuPage County Stormwater Management Planning Committee, who dispersed $8 million for projects throughout the county using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Streambank stabilization
Naperville’s water department received $500 thousand for streambank stabilization work along the Riverwalk from Gardner St. to 75th St.
“They have a sanitary sewer interceptor, carrying all the waste that runs along the river,” said Director of Transportation, Engineering and Development for the City of Naperville Bill Novack. “The bank of the river had been eroding away over the years. That pipe was almost exposed and the city will stabilize it.”
Columbia St. project
In 2023, Naperville will be widening and improving Columbia St. from south of Ogden Ave. to Plank Rd. The city was given $500 thousand to install underground sewage lines and water store vaults under the street.
“That area doesn’t have any stormwater management, and we’ve had flooding issues,” said Novack. “So we can store some of the excess stormwater in these vaults, and release the water a bit slower downstream.”
Ellsworth St. project
The third grant was given to an Ellsworth St. project from 5th to 7th Ave. in the 600 block. The $238 thousand project is for a low area of the park neighborhood that often sees flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.
“One of our long term plans is to get water quicker out of that neighborhood. If we ever build something in front of the 5th Avenue train station, we will incorporate some of the buried stormwater storage there,” said Novack.
Naperville News 17’s Will Payne reports.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!
