River Grove sits where Grand Avenue crosses the Des Plaines River, and anyone who lives here knows what a wet spring or a hard July storm can do. If water is coming up a floor drain, a basement is taking on water, or a pipe is spraying, call the 24/7 emergency line now and keep reading while you wait.
We work from 7508 W Grand Ave in Elmwood Park, the next village east. River Grove is about a mile and a half from our door, which makes it the nearest village we serve.
River firstWhat the Des Plaines River has done to River Grove
The Cook County hazard mitigation plan lists flood events for River Grove in 1986, 1987, 1995, 1997, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013. It says flooding at Grand Avenue and River Road, and at Fullerton Avenue and River Road, has made those areas impassable. The same plan lists 25 repetitive loss properties in the village.
A flooded street can slow any truck, so know your shutoffs before water arrives. And when the river is high, groundwater pressure rises under basement floors, which is when sump pumps and floor drains get tested.
The plan also lists planned actions along River Road, including property acquisition and a permanent street gate closure. Those are plans, not finished work, so your own sump, check valves and drain lines still do the protecting.
Corridors and neighborhoods we know in River Grove
These are places named in the county plan's history of the village. Each one comes with a plumbing reason to care.
Grand Avenue and River Road
The Grand Avenue bridge carries traffic over the Des Plaines River, and the intersections near it are the ones the county plan names for flooding.
Chicago Home Gardens
This subdivision dates to 1920 and lies west of Elmwood Park. Older lines here are often cast iron or clay tile. A sewer camera shows what is down there.
Rhodes Subdivision
Platted in 1872 on the south side of Grand Avenue, it is among the oldest parts of the village. Low pressure or a wet yard here is worth a proper line check.
Turner Park and the old Cazenovia crossing
Turner Park is the area east of the river, and Cazenovia was the original name of the settlement at the crossing. Low ground near water is where a failed sump shows up first.
Before we arrive: if you have a burst pipe or active leak
Four steps limit damage in the first few minutes. None need tools.
Shut the main valve
Turn the main water valve clockwise until it stops. It is usually near the meter or where the line enters the house.
Kill power to wet areas
If water is near outlets, appliances or the panel, do not step in it. Switch off a breaker only if you can reach it dry.
Clear the area
Move rugs, boxes and electronics out of the water's path.
Call the 24/7 line
Tell us where the water is. Our plumbers are dispatched around the clock, and we will give you a clear price before work starts. If you smell gas, leave first.
Water in the house right now?
The 24/7 emergency line is answered day and night. Tell us what you see and our plumbers take it from there.
Sewer backups and floor drains in a river village
When a floor drain burps or a toilet gurgles, the first question is whether the blockage is in your own line or somewhere beyond it. Our plumbers start with a drain machine and cable, and a sewer camera when it keeps returning. See our drain cleaning and sewer line cleaning pages.
River Grove's stormwater runs on a separate system, but we do not assume anything about the sanitary pipe under your house. The camera shows what is really there. A check valve or backwater valve is often the fix when backups repeat.
Who handles what when water shows up
Not every wet-floor problem is a plumber's job.
| What you see | Who handles it |
|---|---|
| Toilet gurgles or a floor drain backs up in your house only | Us. Start with drain cleaning, then a camera if it returns. |
| Basement floods and the sump pump is dead or overwhelmed | Us. See sump pump repair and installation. |
| Sewage or water coming up in the street or several homes at once | The Village, which runs local sewers. MWRD directs suburban residents to report flooding to their municipality. |
| Damp spot, hissing or a meter that spins with taps off | Us. See leak detection and water line repair. |
| Smell of gas | Leave the building, then call your gas utility and 911 from outside. Check your bill for the utility. |
| River water over a road or at Grand and River Road | The Village. Stay out of moving water and do not drive through it. |
Permits go through River Grove, not Elmwood Park
River Grove has its own village hall on Thatcher Avenue and its own building department. Its page says remodeling over a small dollar amount needs a building permit, and that plumbing permits require a Letter of Intent from the contractor. That is separate from Elmwood Park's process.
Which jobs need a permit varies, so ask the River Grove building department before a water heater swap, a sewer repair or a sump install. Always confirm a plumber is licensed through the Illinois Department of Public Health lookup, which lists plumbing licenses.
Chicago water from the Village reservoir
River Grove buys Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago, stores it in an underground reservoir and pumps it out to homes. The 2024 water quality report publishes no hardness figure, so test your tap if scale bothers you.
Slow flow and tired tanks are common complaints. See water heater repair if your tank leaks or runs cold.
Rail, college and shopping center: reading the village for a service call
Landmarks help us find you and plan the job.
Metra station and Canadian Pacific yards
Tell us which side of the tracks you are on.
Triton College
On the southern border at 2000 Fifth Avenue.
Thatcher Woods Shopping Center
Shop owners here should tell us about floor drains and restroom lines up front. Commercial jobs may need the landlord's approval.
River Grove emergency plumbing questions
Yes. Our 24/7 emergency line is answered at night, on weekends and on holidays, and our licensed plumbers are dispatched around the clock. We do not promise an arrival time because roads and river flooding change it. You get a clear price before work starts, and same-day appointments when available.
We serve River Grove's own ZIP, 60171, which covers the village from the Thatcher Avenue village hall area to the Grand Avenue corridor and the Metra station area. Unsure about a border address? Call and give us the street.
We also serve nearby villages, including River Forest 60305, Melrose Park 60160, 60161 and 60164, Franklin Park 60131 and Oak Park 60301 to 60304. Our service area page lists them.
The village sits along the Des Plaines River, and the county plan lists flood events going back to 1986 and 25 repetitive loss properties. A working sump pump and check valve make the biggest difference. See sump pump repair and installation.
River Grove has its own building department, and its page says plumbing permits require a Letter of Intent from the contractor. Which jobs need a permit varies, so ask the Village building department before work starts.
Stop running water in the house, since every flush and load of laundry sends more down the same line. Do not pour chemicals into it. Then call the 24/7 line. A drain machine often clears a stoppage, and a camera shows why it keeps coming back.
Often, yes. Pressure gauges and moisture meters narrow down where water escapes, so we open only the spot that needs it. See leak detection.
Standards and sources: Work in Illinois follows the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890), and the Village of Elmwood Park building department applies those minimum standards locally. Flood guidance comes from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and the Village of Elmwood Park flood-proofing pages.