Several years ago, the Elmhurst City Council approved the "Sanitary Sewer Private Property Protection Program" as a way to protect homes from sewer backup. The City's sanitary sewer system provides protection from a three-year frequency storm event but may become overburdened during extremely wet weather conditions. Prior to the introduction of the private property program, the City upgraded and improved the municipal sanitary and storm sewer systems to allow these systems to operate at peak efficiency. Studies have shown that, in addition to improvements to municipal systems, private property improvements are a cost-effective means of protecting homes from basement backup. The City annually budgets $25,000 to assist homeowners with the cost of replacing gravity-type sewer systems with overhead sewers. The City's participation amounts to 50% of certain costs for the installation, to a maximum of $3,000. If you have experienced sewer backup in the past and would like more information on this program, please visit the Public Works counter in City Hall or call 530-3020