Water Damage Restoration Evanston IL

On August 13–14, 1987, nearly 10 inches of rain fell on Evanston in under a day. Basements citywide filled with wastewater — "everybody's basement had about four to five feet of sewage water in it," the former public works director recalled. It was part of Chicago's wettest month ever, with $220M+ in area damage. In response, the city adopted a roughly $210 million Long Range Sewer Improvement Program, approved in 1990 and completed in 2008.

The reason the 1987 storm hit so hard is still under every street: the entire city is served by a combined sewer system — 144 miles, 60% of them pipes a foot or less in diameter. The improvements cut street-level flooding, but overflows still occur in major storms.

Later events proved the risk never fully left: the September 2008 flood — remnants of Hurricane Ike — set record peak streamflows at 13 streamgages, and on April 18, 2013, 4+ inches fell in one night, flooding 15 Northwestern residential halls and 10 sorority houses. Winter brings the other risk: 52 of the city's 157 miles of water pipes are over 100 years old, and 25 to 50 main breaks occur per year — most in winter.

Our Evanston water damage services

Cost factors & insurance claim help

We don't do one-size pricing — every Evanston loss is scoped on site. Cost hinges on how much water came in, how far it spread, whether combined-sewer contamination demands tear-out, and how vintage materials take to drying. You get a written, itemized scope before work proceeds. We coordinate with your insurer from the start, too — moisture logs, photo timelines, and detailed line items — so your claim moves without you playing translator.

Evanston water damage FAQs

What happened in August 1987, and could it happen again? On August 13–14, 1987, nearly 10 inches fell in less than a day, filling basements with four to five feet of sewage water, per the former public works director. It was part of Chicago's wettest month ever, with $220M+ in area damage. The $210 million sewer program reduced street-level flooding, but overflows still occur in major storms — the risk is reduced, not gone.

What did the $210 million sewer program actually build? Approved in 1990 and completed in 2008, the program installed flow restrictors, nine miles of shallow tunnels, relief combined sewers, and 43 miles of sewer mains. It cut street-level flooding substantially — but in major storms like April 2013, the system can still surcharge, as the popped manhole covers on Central Street showed.

I live near Northwestern — did campus flooding affect surrounding neighborhoods? Yes. On April 18, 2013, over 4 inches fell in one night: 15 Northwestern residential halls and 10 sorority houses flooded, and the city logged 80+ basement complaints plus 50+ street and alley reports. Nearby rentals share the same combined sewers — when the system surcharges, surrounding homes flood too.

My building is a 1920s courtyard apartment. What are the risks? Vintage courtyard and converted elevator buildings often share drainage stacks and carry aging supply and waste lines. One backup can affect multiple units, and plaster-and-lathe walls hide moisture far longer than drywall. We dry with moisture-meter verification and document common-area versus unit damage.

What's the story with Evanston's 100-year-old water mains? Fifty-two of the city's 157 miles of water pipes are over a century old, and 25 to 50 main breaks occur per year — most in winter. A break near your home can flood basements with little warning — call (773) 200-3228 immediately in winter.

Should lakefront homeowners worry about Lake Michigan high water? Evanston's east border is the lake, with FEMA lakefront flood zones and high-water risk — and the city's low, formerly wetland terrain drains slowly. Lakefront homes face shoreline high water plus the city's combined-sewer surcharge risk.