Riverdale sits right beside the Little Calumet River, and water is the first thing most residents think about when a storm rolls in. We are in Dolton, about 2 miles southeast of Riverdale by our estimate. Dolton and Riverdale were one community before they incorporated separately, and plenty of our calls still cross that line.
This page starts with water because that is where Riverdale emergencies usually start. A sump pump that quits in a downpour, a floor drain that backs up, a pipe that lets go on a freezing night. Our dispatch line runs around the clock for exactly those calls.
The river, the old sugar factory site and what it means for your basement
Riverdale is a village of about 10,700 residents, ZIP 60827. The Little Calumet River runs along the south side of the old sugar-factory site near the village's northwest edge, where a beet sugar factory opened in 1905 on the site of an 1871 distillery. The village is also served by the Thornton Composite Reservoir, which captures combined sewer overflow.
The reservoir works on the public system. It does not keep a private basement dry, because a failed sump pump or a floor drain that backs up is a problem inside your property line. We do not have a published flood count for Riverdale, so ask the village hall about your block, and ask your insurance agent about sewer backup coverage.
Source: Wikipedia and MWRD Thornton Composite Reservoir press release, 2015.
What a sump pump does and what it cannot do
A sump pump is a pit, a pump and a discharge pipe that moves groundwater out from under the floor. Many homes rely on one, and many people expect it to do more than it can.
What it handles
- Groundwater that rises in the pit after rain
- Water collected by drain tile around the footing
- A steady flow when the float and check valve work
- Pumping out the basin before it spills
What it does not handle
- A blocked main line pushing sewage up a floor drain
- Water that comes through the foundation wall at a crack
- Any water at all during a power outage with no battery backup
- A discharge pipe that is frozen or has the wrong slope
If your pump is old, noisy or does not start when you lift the float, our sump pump repair page explains what a technician checks. If water keeps entering after the pump runs, the answer may be basement waterproofing.
Before We Arrive: basement water at a Riverdale home
Do these while you wait. Skip any that put you near live power or deep water.
Shut off the main valve if a pipe is the source
Turn it clockwise. If the water is coming up from the floor drain or in through the walls, the valve will not stop it, so move to the next step.
Kill power to wet areas
If water covers outlets or reaches the furnace or panel, do not wade in. Call your electric utility, ComEd at 800-334-7661, and call us.
Clear the area
Move valuables and cardboard up off the floor. Photograph the water and the damage for your insurer before anything is moved.
Stop sending water down the drains
No laundry, no dishwasher, no long showers while the floor drain is rising.
Call the 24/7 line
Tell us the water source if you know it, and whether the sump pump is running. Gas smell means leave and call Nicor Gas at 888-642-6748 or 911 first.
Drain backups that arrive with the storm
A basement floor drain that bubbles during rain can mean the house line is blocked, the sewer is overloaded, or both. We run water inside the house first, then a camera, to see whether the blockage is on your side. A cable pass through a clean line is wasted money, so we confirm before we start.
Our drain cleaning crews carry cable and camera equipment for this reason. If the line is cracked or full of roots, the honest answer is repair, and we will show you the footage first.
Water in your Riverdale basement?
Call the 24/7 line now and tell us whether the pump is running.
What decides the cost of a Riverdale water emergency
We give a clear price before work starts. These are the things that move it.
The Illinois Department of Insurance says standard flood coverage does not typically cover damage from sewer backups or sump pump issues, so ask your agent about adding it. Want your real number? Call (773) 207-0518.
After the water is out: what to do next
The first hours matter for insurance and for mold. A short list keeps you from forgetting something.
- Photograph damage and keep an inventory of belongings
- Call your insurance agent and ask what your policy covers
- Dry the area with fans and open windows where you can
- Test the sump pump by pouring a bucket into the pit
- Ask us about a battery backup for the next outage
Burst pipes and the rest of the Riverdale list
Not every call here is water from the ground. A pipe split by a hard freeze fills the same basement, and our burst pipe repair crews start by shutting off the supply and drying the affected wall before any repair.
We cover Riverdale ZIP 60827, which also includes Calumet Park, and ZIP 60628 on the far south side of Chicago. Just north of the village, the Chicago Riverdale community area uses ZIP 60628. Neighbors in Harvey, South Holland and Calumet City call the same line.
Riverdale plumbing questions
Yes. The 24/7 line is answered nights, weekends and holidays. Call (773) 207-0518 and tell us whether water is rising, where it is coming from and whether the sump pump is running.
We cover 60827, which is the primary Riverdale ZIP and also covers Calumet Park. We also cover 60628 on the far south side of Chicago, just north of the village. Give us your street address and we will confirm the route.
No. A sump pump moves groundwater from a pit. Sewage coming up a floor drain means a blockage in the house line or the sewer, and that needs a drain cleaning or a repair.
The pump may be undersized, the check valve may let water fall back, or water may be entering through a crack the pump cannot keep up with. We check each one and tell you which is the cause.
No. The Thornton Composite Reservoir captures combined sewer overflow on the public system. It does not protect a private basement from a failed pump or a backing-up floor drain.
Photograph the damage and make an inventory first. Then call your agent. The Illinois Department of Insurance consumer line is 1-866-445-5364 if you want to ask general questions.