On July 11–12, 2017, more than 7 inches of rain fell on Lake County in a single day. Governor Bruce Rauner issued a state disaster proclamation three days later for Lake, McHenry, and Kane counties. Lake County reported 2,100 structures submerged — and IEMA later estimated some 9,553 structures adversely affected countywide. A Multi-Agency Resource Center opened July 20–22 at the former Garden Fresh grocery, 965 E. Rollins Road, right here in Round Lake Beach; the Governor toured flood damage at W.J. Murphy Elementary in Round Lake; the Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Magee Middle School. Photos from that week showed ankle-deep-plus water standing on Round Lake Beach roadways.
The aftermath stretched years. A state law passed by Representative Sam Yingling created a one-time $750 Flood Victims' Tax Credit for 2017 flood victims, and in August 2019 he hosted a flood-proofing seminar at Round Lake High School, noting that "flooding is an ever-present issue in his district." The village wraps around its namesake Round Lake in the Fox River / Chain O'Lakes watershed, with Deep Lake and Cedar Lake nearby — and in April 2013, regional river flooding brought flood warnings along the Des Plaines and the Fox from Algonquin to Montgomery. Round Lake Beach lives between lake levels and river warnings, and it knows what both can do.
Here is the detail most homeowners miss: Round Lake Beach operates a separate storm sewer system — its 2017 Storm Water Management Program was written for the EPA's NPDES Phase II permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems. Yet the July 2017 flood still produced documented sewer backups, street and yard flooding, and structure flooding in the county's flood-prone-area survey. Separate sewers mean sanitary and storm flows don't mix — they don't mean the system can't be overwhelmed. When the water is rising, Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois answers 24/7. Call (773) 200-3228.
Our Round Lake Beach Water Damage Services
Emergency water extraction
Lake and storm floodwater, sewer backup, sump failures, burst pipes — truck-mounted extraction with containment for contaminated water, day or night.
Structural drying
Monitored drying for ranch, split-level, and two-story construction plus older lake cottages — every material verified dry with moisture meters.
Mold remediation
Flood-soaked drywall, carpet, and wall cavities grow mold within days. We contain, remove, and treat affected materials to IICRC standards.
Sewage cleanup
Backup water is a health hazard. We extract contaminated water, disinfect surfaces, and remove unsalvageable porous materials safely.
Storm damage repair
After lake-level and flash-flood events, we repair water-damaged drywall, flooring, and finishes and rebuild to pre-loss condition.
Common Causes of Water Damage in Round Lake Beach
- Lake-level and Chain O'Lakes flooding. During the July 2017 event, the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission warned that one to three more inches of rain would push the swollen Chain O'Lakes and Fox River back up — shoreline and low-lying homes took the hit.
- Flash-storm surface flooding. Seven-plus inches in a day overwhelms street drainage and yards, with sheet flow running against foundations and into basements.
- Sewer backups despite separate systems. The 2017 flood-prone-area survey documented backups even under the village's separate MS4 storm sewer system — capacity, not pipe design, is the limit.
- Older lake cottages. Original cottages near the shore carry shallow or uninsulated plumbing and crawlspaces — the classic leak-and-burst profile, especially in winter.
- Spring thaw lake rise. Thaw and runoff raise lake levels while groundwater pushes up from below — a double hit for basement seepage in shoreline homes.
- Winter freeze damage. Northern Lake County runs colder than Chicago; the January 2019 polar vortex froze and burst water mains and service lines across the metro area.
- Aging laterals in post-1970s subdivisions. Forty- to fifty-year-old service lines in the village's big subdivisions are entering their failure window.
Areas We Serve in Round Lake Beach
We respond throughout ZIP 60073, including the shoreline neighborhoods closest to Round Lake, Lakefront Park and its sandy beach, and the village's major subdivisions: Fairfield Village, Country Walk, Fox Chase, Countryside Hills, Valley Lakes, Lakewood Hills, Sunset Addition, Remington Pointe, Coventry Estates, Brooks Farm, and Beach Shore. The Metra Milwaukee District North Line station, the Village Hall, the Cultural & Civic Center, and the Rollins Crossing and Eagle Creek shopping centers are all within our standard response zone.
How We Restore Water-Damaged Homes in Round Lake Beach
- Call (773) 200-3228 anytime. We roll with extraction equipment, triaging active flooding and sewage backups first.
- Pin down the source. Lake overbank, flash-storm surface water, sewer backup, failed sump, or burst line — the source determines the protocol.
- Extract and contain. Standing water is pumped out fast; contaminated water gets containment barriers and protective protocols before anything else is touched.
- Find the hidden water. Thermal imaging and meters trace moisture inside walls, under flooring, and in crawlspaces — where cottages and split-levels hide it best.
- Dry to verified targets. Dehumidifiers and air movers run on a monitored schedule, with readings logged daily until every material tests genuinely dry.
- Repair and document. Finishes are restored to pre-loss condition; photos, moisture logs, and itemized scopes go into your insurance file.
Cost Factors & Insurance Claim Help
No flat quotes — every Round Lake Beach loss is scoped on its facts. Cost follows the water category (sewage and lake floodwater require more remediation than clean supply water), the square footage and materials affected, how long they stayed wet, and the level of finish in the affected rooms. If the July 2017 flood touched your home and repairs stalled, delayed moisture and mold claims are common years later — document what you see and call us. We photograph, meter, and itemize everything your adjuster needs, and we work directly with your insurance company from the first call to the final walkthrough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Round Lake Beach during the July 2017 flood?
More than 7 inches of rain fell July 11–12. A state disaster proclamation followed on July 14 for Lake, McHenry, and Kane counties; Lake County reported 2,100 structures submerged, and IEMA estimated about 9,553 structures affected countywide. The Multi-Agency Resource Center opened July 20–22 at the former Garden Fresh at 965 E. Rollins Road, and the Red Cross sheltered residents at Magee Middle School in Round Lake.
What was the $750 Flood Victims' Tax Credit?
A one-time Illinois income tax credit created by law for victims of the July 2017 floods, publicized in March 2018. It was a single filing-season remedy — not an ongoing program. If 2017-era moisture problems are surfacing now, the fix is restoration and proper drying, not paperwork.
The village has separate storm sewers. Why did backups still happen in 2017?
Separate sewers keep sanitary waste and stormwater in different pipes — that's a design choice, not extra capacity. When 7 inches of rain falls in a day, street inlets, pipes, and outfalls can still be overwhelmed, and water finds basements through floor drains, foundation cracks, and seepage. The county's own flood-prone-area survey documented sewer backups in the 2017 event. Capacity is the constraint.
I own an older lake cottage near Round Lake. What should I worry about?
Three things: shallow or uninsulated plumbing and crawlspaces that freeze and burst; spring thaw that raises lake levels while groundwater pushes up from below; and shoreline seepage through aging foundations. Cottages built as seasonal homes often have the thinnest protection against all three.
How are the Fox River and Chain O'Lakes connected to flooding here?
Round Lake Beach sits in the Fox River / Chain O'Lakes watershed. In the July 2017 event, the county warned that the Chain O'Lakes and Fox River were so swollen that just a few more inches of rain would push them back up — and the Des Plaines River was under flood warning in Lake County too. Lake levels and river stages move together here; a regional storm loads the whole system at once.
Water Damage in Round Lake Beach? We Respond 24/7
Every minute counts. Rapid Water Damage Restoration Illinois dispatches certified technicians across Round Lake Beach day and night — with insurance documentation handled for you.
Call (773) 200-3228 NowWater Damage Restoration Services in Round Lake Beach
- Our water damage restoration service
- Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Round Lake Beach
- Residential Water Damage Restoration in Round Lake Beach
- Emergency Flood Cleanup in Round Lake Beach
- Storm & Flood Damage Restoration in Round Lake Beach
- Ceiling & Wall Water Damage Repair in Round Lake Beach
- Sewage Backup Cleanup in Round Lake Beach
- Mold Remediation in Round Lake Beach
- Burst Pipe & Leak Water Damage in Round Lake Beach
- Drying & Dehumidification in Round Lake Beach
Nearby Areas We Serve Around Round Lake Beach
Helpful Water Damage Guides
- Water Damage Restoration Cost in Illinois: What Really Drives the Bill
- How to Prevent Frozen and Burst Pipes During an Illinois Winter
Official resources: FEMA FloodSmart (flood insurance) and EPA guide to mold and moisture.