On Saturday, September 13, 2008, the retention pond at the Springbrook Shopping Center spilled over Lake Street into Circle Center, as water flowed north trying to reach Spring Brook behind the Dunkin' Donuts — while rainwater also flowed north overland across Schick Road toward the same creek. The village's own newsletter documented it: seven inches of rain fell in 12 hours Saturday and Sunday, on top of more than three inches Friday, overwhelming storm sewers and detention and retention facilities across Bloomingdale (ZIP 60108). County stormwater data corroborates the scale — the September 2008 storm drove all five of the county's major flood-control facilities into full operation. Bloomingdale is hydrologically pivotal: the headwaters of the East Branch DuPage River lie near the village, Spring Creek flows through it, and the 17-acre Spring Creek Reservoir — a former gravel pit in a forest preserve — is one of those five major county facilities, operated with mechanical equipment under a predetermined plan. Old Town Bloomingdale at Lake Street and Bloomingdale Road anchors the village's history — restored 19th-century buildings, the Park District Museum in the circa-1849 former First Baptist Church of Christ — while Stratford Square Mall at Springfield and Schick is being redeveloped as The Grove at Bloomingdale, a $375 million mixed-use project whose demolition finished in June 2025.
When Bloomingdale's water systems overflow — pond, creek, or plumbing — call (773) 200-3228. Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois answers 24/7.
Common Causes of Water Damage in Bloomingdale
- Detention and retention facilities overwhelmed. September 2008 proved the point: even separated storm systems back up when detention capacity is exceeded and overland flow routes develop — the Springbrook pond spilling across Lake Street is the textbook case.
- Spring Creek and Spring Brook flooding. Spring Creek flows through the village; Spring Brook, a Salt Creek tributary, receives the north-side commercial corridor's runoff. Both carry stormwater north — until they can't.
- East Branch headwaters runoff. With the East Branch's headwaters near the village, heavy storms send water through subdivisions before the river has anywhere to store it downstream.
- 1970s–80s finished-basement failures. 55.5% of homes were built 1970–1989 — split-levels, ranches, and colonials with finished basements. Finished basements amplify every sump or line failure: carpet, drywall, and insulation hide water until the damage is done.
- Old Town's pre-1940 freeze risk. Only 1.9% of the stock is pre-1940, concentrated in the Old Town pocket — older service lines and shallow or uninsulated runs are the freeze-burst profile.
Our Bloomingdale Water Damage Services
Water extraction
High-capacity pumping for pond-overflow flooding, creek intrusion, sump failures, and supply-line breaks.
Structural drying
Monitored dehumidification for 1970s–80s framing, finished basements, and Old Town's older structures — verified with moisture meters.
Mold remediation
Finished basements that stay damp grow mold behind drywall and under carpet pad. We contain, remove, and treat to IICRC standards.
Sewage cleanup
Sanitary backups during overwhelmed-system events get full extraction, sanitization, safe disposal of contaminated materials, and surface disinfection.
Storm damage repair
Repairs for flood, runoff, and wind-driven damage on split-levels, ranches, colonials, and Old Town buildings — rebuilt to pre-loss condition.
Areas We Serve in Bloomingdale
We serve all of Bloomingdale in ZIP 60108 — Old Town at Lake Street and Bloomingdale Road with its restored 19th-century buildings and the circa-1849 Park District Museum, the 1970s–80s subdivisions of split-levels, ranches, and colonials that make up most of the village, and the north-side commercial corridor along Lake Street and Schick Road where the 2008 pond overflow happened. We work around the Stratford Square redevelopment site at Springfield and Schick — The Grove at Bloomingdale, its first phase and the 100,000-square-foot Bloomingdale Yard sports facility slated to open in 2027 — and the neighborhoods bordering the Spring Creek Reservoir's forest preserve. We reach you via Lake Street, Schick Road, Bloomingdale Road, and Army Trail Road.
How We Restore Water-Damaged Homes in Bloomingdale
- One call, any hour: (773) 200-3228. Active flooding and sewage backups are dispatched first — 24/7.
- Assess the source and secure the property. Pond overflow, creek water, sump failure, or a broken line — we trace the entry path, stop active inflow where possible, and make the scene safe.
- Remove the water. Truck-mounted and portable extraction clears standing water; contaminated water is handled under containment with full protective protocols.
- Dry to verified readings. Moisture mapping finds hidden wetness in walls, subfloors, and finished-basement assemblies; equipment runs until meters confirm dry.
- Clean, disinfect, prevent mold. Surfaces are sanitized; materials that can't be saved are removed before mold establishes itself.
- Rebuild and document. Finishes return to pre-loss condition while we keep the photo and moisture documentation your insurer needs, working directly with your company through the final walkthrough.
Cost Factors & Insurance Claim Help
No flat quotes — your Bloomingdale loss is scoped on its facts: water category (clean supply water versus creek, pond-overflow, or sewage), the square footage and materials affected, how long they stayed wet, and whether a finished basement multiplies the teardown. Overland-flow and detention-overflow losses can raise coverage questions, so we review your policy with you before work begins. We photograph and log everything and work directly with your insurance company from the first call to the final walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly happened in Bloomingdale on September 13, 2008?
The village newsletter documented it in detail: the retention pond at the Springbrook Shopping Center spilled over Lake Street into Circle Center as water flowed north trying to reach Spring Brook behind the Dunkin' Donuts, while rainwater flowed north overland across Schick Road toward the same creek. Seven inches of rain fell in 12 hours Saturday and Sunday on top of more than three inches Friday — overwhelming storm sewers and detention/retention facilities village-wide.
What is the Spring Creek Reservoir, and does it protect my neighborhood?
The Spring Creek Reservoir is a 17-acre former gravel pit in a forest preserve in Bloomingdale — one of DuPage County's five major flood-control facilities, operated with mechanical equipment under a predetermined plan. The five large facilities plus smaller gravity facilities total nearly six billion gallons of storage countywide. It reduces peak flood levels on Spring Creek — but in September 2008, all five major facilities went into full operation and flooding still happened. It's flood reduction, not a guarantee.
If Bloomingdale has separate storm and sanitary sewers, why did basements still flood in 2008?
Because separation doesn't mean immunity. The village operates a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System under IEPA's General NPDES Permit ILR40 — separate sanitary and storm systems. But the 2008 event showed that even separated systems back up when detention capacity is exceeded and overland flow routes develop. When ponds spill and creeks leave their banks, water finds basements regardless of which pipe it was supposed to use.
Where are the East Branch DuPage River's headwaters?
Near Bloomingdale. That makes the village the top of the watershed — heavy storms send runoff through local subdivisions before the river has any downstream storage to absorb it. Being upstream means less warning and faster-rising local water.
My subdivision is all 1970s–80s split-levels with finished basements. What's my biggest risk?
Finished basements. Over half the village's homes were built 1970–1989, and finished lower levels turn every sump failure or line break into a teardown: carpet pad, drywall, and insulation hide water and feed mold. A sump alarm, a battery backup pump, and knowing where your main shutoff is will do more for you than any sandbag.
Water Damage in Bloomingdale? We Respond 24/7
Every minute counts. Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois dispatches certified technicians across Bloomingdale day and night — with insurance documentation handled for you.
Call (773) 200-3228 NowWater Damage Restoration Services in Bloomingdale
- Our water damage restoration service
- Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Bloomingdale
- Residential Water Damage Restoration in Bloomingdale
- Emergency Flood Cleanup in Bloomingdale
- Storm & Flood Damage Restoration in Bloomingdale
- Ceiling & Wall Water Damage Repair in Bloomingdale
- Sewage Backup Cleanup in Bloomingdale
- Mold Remediation in Bloomingdale
- Burst Pipe & Leak Water Damage in Bloomingdale
- Drying & Dehumidification in Bloomingdale
Nearby Areas We Serve Around Bloomingdale
Helpful Water Damage Guides
Official resources: FEMA FloodSmart (flood insurance) and EPA guide to mold and moisture.