Searching for Answers Following Lake Zurich Flooding

Connie Akim wore gloves and a mask as she carried out items from her Berkshire Lane home, clearing out her family’s belongings lost in this week’s flooding.

Inside, her husband, Jerry, surveyed the basement where 7 feet of water caused thousands of dollars in damage, breaking the glass in the home’s basement window well and tipping over a refrigerator.

Jerry Akim understands a lot of water fell on Lake Zurich this week in a very short amount of time. The rainfall estimate is over 6 inches in a four-hour period.

What he doesn’t understand is how his basement flooded so badly when the home has never flooded nor it is in a flood plain. His home did not flood during similar rain events in 2007 and 2011, he said.

“I don’t know what happened,” Jerry Akim said, surveying the damage. “We’ve never had problems here in 11 years. I’m a common sense guy, but that doesn’t make sense.”

The floodwater started coming into the house early Wednesday morning. The Braemar subdivision, off of Cuba Road, was severely flooded. Lake County Department of Transportation had to close off the roadway on Wednesday when the rain fell.

Lake Zurich officials reported a sanitary life station failed in the area. The village declared a state of emergency Wednesday following the flooding.

Jerry Akim had a sump pump running until 2:30 a.m. Thursday until the water was finally out of the basement.

Lake Zurich staff has been taking inventory of the damage and have provided dumpsters to dispose of the debris. Officials said there is no indication why the flooding in Akim's subdivision occurred other than a lot of rain fell in a short time.

“Whether it came fast or not, you have to handle it,” Jerry Akim said. “They have to solve the problem.”

The Akim family does not have flood insurance. Jerry Akim said he would have purchased some flood insurance if he lived in a flood plain. He estimated the loss of property to be between $20,000 to $30,000.

Meanwhile, the village is continuing to provide resources for flood victims. Free flood cleanup kits are available to village residents and small businesses that have been impacted.

Flood cleanup kits can be picked up at Lake Zurich Fire Station #1, 321 S. Buesching Road. Cleanup kits are free and include essential cleanup items such as mops, buckets, gloves, sponges, detergents, bleach, brushes, and squeegees.

If residents are picking up cleanup kits over the weekend or after normal business hours, they are encouraged to call the fire department at 847-540-5070 so staff will be available.

The Village has provided large dumpsters in the hardest hit neighborhoods throughout Lake Zurich. Additionally, Waste Management is picking up one bulk item free of charge for each regularly scheduled pickup day, according to a press release. The following items cannot be placed into dumpsters: appliances, electronics, car parts, black tries, liquids, bricks, rocks, concrete, and landscaping materials.

If a resident is not located near a dumpster or if they have difficulty moving flood debris to a dumpster, special pickups are available through Waste Management. Special pickups cost between $10 - $50 per bulk item and will be picked up at the next regularly scheduled pickup day. Special pickups can be arranged by contacting Waste Management at 1-800-964-8988.