Here’s what we know about flash flooding, raw sewage issues in Cahokia Heights
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For years, residents of the former city of Centreville, now part of Cahokia Heights, have struggled with flash flooding and raw sewage in yards and homes.
In approximately 54 homes of the 4.29 square-mile area, flooding has made life difficult for the people who live there, so much so that the residents meet regularly to find a way to make local officials fix the problem, and residents have filed two lawsuits in hopes the problems will be fixed.
Here’s what’s happened in Centreville since the Belleville News-Democrat first reported on the issues in the area:
Feb, 20, 2020: The Belleville News-Democrat publishes an in-depth report on the impact of decades of flooding and infrastructure failure on residents of north Centreville and the local, state and national governments’ failure to fix the problems.
January through March, 2020: For three months, former Centreville Mayor Mark Jackson and other city officials in Centreville refuse to comment to the Belleville News-Democrat for articles about the ongoing flooding issues.
June 5, 2020: Centreville residents Cornelius Bennett and Earlie Fuse file a lawsuit against the city of Centreville, then Centreville Mayor Marius “Mark” Jackson, Centreville Township, then Township Supervisor Curtis McCall Sr., former city manager for Alorton and Centreville Lamar Gentry, Commonfields of Cahokia and its superintendent, Dennis Traiteur. Bennett and Fuse ask the court to stop the defendants from depositing or diverting stormwater onto their properties and to replace some of the village’s pump or lift stations within 30 days. The suit also asks for the installation of new sewer lines where needed as well as a monitor to make sure the changes are being made.
July 16, 2020: U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth meets with residents of Centreville at Church of Grace in northern Centreville over flooding issues. The same day, she met with local officials and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to discuss the meeting. Then Centreville Mayor Marius “Mark” Jackson did not attend the meeting, despite being invited.
Nov, 3, 2020: Voters in Cahokia, Alorton and Centreville approve a proposal to merge their towns to create a new city called “Cahokia Heights.” The referendum was the second phase of the “Better Together” campaign, a plan to consolidate the towns. In March, voters in Centreville and Alorton approved a measure to merge the towns into “Alcentra.”
March 2, 2021: Cahokia Heights applies for a $22 million federal “BRIC” grant local leaders hope will fix flooding issues in the northern part of the Centreville area. The federal grant is designed to help communities reduce their risk to natural disasters, such as flooding.
March 8, 2021: Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker pledges his administration’s support for the $22 million federal BRIC grant, describing the problems in Centreville as “a textbook example of environmental racism” during a visit to the area.
March 23, 2021: The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency awarded the $919,869 grant to HeartLands Conservancy, a Belleville-based organization, in hopes to reduce flooding and sewage issues in Centreville, Alorton and Cahokia. The grant is part of the Prairie du Pont watershed-based plan that’s aimed at reducing stormwater runoff, fixing minor sewage system infrastructure and using the best practices for managing rainfall.
April 6, 2021: Residents of the Cahokia, Alorton and Centreville formally vote to disband Commonfields of Cahokia, the water and sewage district that serves 7,000 customers in the three towns. Dissolving Commonfields of Cahokia was one of the many phases of the “Better Together” plan to united Alorton, Centreville and Cahokia into Cahokia Heights.
April 10, 2021: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin visits Centreville to acknowledge the flooding and sewage issues in the area and pledge his support for fixing them. However, many residents complain they weren’t made aware of the senator’s visit.
April 14, 2021: Newly elected Cahokia Heights Mayor Curtis McCall Sr. pledges to fix the flooding problems in Centreville. McCall says the $22 million BRIC grant will be key in fixing the issues.
May 2021: Curtis McCall Sr. is sworn in and Cahokia Heights merger becomes official. McCall appoints nine department heads to run the government of Cahokia Heights, all of which are previous employees or elected officials with one of the former governments.
June 2021: Cahokia Heights Mayor Curtis McCall Sr. meets with resident group Centreville Citizens for Change to discuss flooding issues. Residents say they’re still skeptical about his promises and $22 million grant hoped to fix the flooding issues. McCall responds saying he doesn’t blame the group for being skeptical of change.
July 2021: Cahokia Heights learns it will not receive a $22 million grant that local officials sought to fix years of flooding and sewage issues.
July 20, 2021: Three organizations representing the group Centreville Citizens for Change filed another lawsuit Tuesday against Commonfields of Cahokia and Cahokia Heights in hopes litigation under the Clean Water Act will force local government agencies to fix decades-long flooding problems. The lawsuit alleges Commonfields of Cahokia, a water and sewer utility, has been discharging raw sewage into the community in violation of the Clean Water Act.
This story was originally published July 29, 2021 at 2:00 PM.
