When It Rains, It Pours

Sitting at an elevation of 778 feet above sea level, Freeport sits at one of the lowest spots in Stephenson County. As such, Pretzel City is where most all the water in Stephenson County drains as it all flows into the Pecatonica River.

For years an antiquated storm water collection system has plagued the community—particularly during significant rain events. It is not uncommon for the storm water system to become overwhelmed with the amount of water flowing into it and into the Pecatonica River from streams north of town.

“It’s amazing that we still have wooden storm water collection boxes above and underground in Freeport. That’s how old parts of the system are,” says Freeport Mayor Jodi Miller. “But recognizing we have to do a better job in keeping our streets clear of water and from flooding, we have been systematically addressing many of the storm water systems issues.”

Jodi explains that collection systems near the former Furst McNess building, Jackson Street behind the Rawleigh Building, and on Cherry Street have already been replaced or modernized. The city is currently engineering and fixing smaller collection systems on Kiwanis Drive, Sioux Drive, and in downtown Freeport.

“As we work to improve our sanitation system by eliminating storm water infiltration, it becomes necessary to accommodate an increasing amount of displaced storm water,” says Jodi. “I’m proud of the work we are doing to improve the outputs we are discharging into the Pecatonica River and improvements we have recently made in our storm sewer system to help meet our environmental goals.”