After water main break, Skokie Village Board to vote on emergency declaration
SKOKIE, Ill. - Just days after a water main break forced a boil water order, flooded streets, and closed businesses in north suburban Skokie, the village board will vote on an emergency declaration at its meeting on Monday night.
State law says local governments may declare an emergency "when the public health or safety is affected."
The emergency declaration would go into effect immediately upon approval by the Village Board and would be in effect until April 7, although officials can extend it if necessary.
The Skokie Village Board meeting is scheduled for Monday at 7:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Skokie Village Hall.
Water main break wreaks havoc
The backstory:
The water main break happened around 5:15 a.m. last Friday near the intersection of East Prairie Road and Emerson Street.
That water main is one of the mains that provides water to the village directly from its provider. The break resulted in a total loss of water supply to all Skokie customers, including residents and businesses, the village said.
The village issued a boil order at around 8 a.m. that day for all customers in Skokie.
Drone video captures impact of water main break in Skokie
A water main break in Skokie flooded roads and neighborhood homes, prompting a boil water order in the area and some schools to shift to remote learning Friday morning.
Homes and businesses nearest to the break saw significant flooding and property damage. Those who relied on water for heating were unable to heat their properties for more than 24 hours.
Schools, restaurants and other businesses including at the Westfield Old Orchard mall were unable to open safely on Friday.
The boil water order was eventually lifted late Sunday, more than 48 hours after it was installed.
Crews identified the cause of the water main break: a failed fitting cap on a major water transmission main serving Skokie.
There was no indication the failure resulted from construction activity in the area.