Half of the planned DCEO capital improvement projects are now funded, but there is still more work to be done. The remaining $62 million in grants would support up to 32 projects, if funding becomes available. These projects are in areas facing critical infrastructure challenges. SMC has continued to make progress on the unfunded projects with ongoing planning and preparation in collaboration with local partners. The 15 projects of the third round of DCEO projects, if funded, have been authorized by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.

Additional funding for stormwater infrastructure is needed. As existing systems age and reach the end of their service life, the gap in needed investment will continue to grow. At the same time, heavier rainfall is increasing demand on these systems, and many are not prepared to handle future needs. With 20 percent of Lake County covered by surface water, our aging and undersized infrastructure is increasingly strained. As a result, flooding is likely to persist and worsen both locally and across the state.

“Our work is vital to modernizing Lake County’s stormwater system,” said Stormwater Management Commission Executive Director Kurt Woolford. “It’s important to continue funding stormwater infrastructure to bring it into the 21^st century across Lake County and the state of Illinois. SMC has identified the most critically needed projects to benefit our communities and residents. We want to continue this forward momentum and fund additional projects in the next few years with continued support from the DCEO.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released their 2025 Infrastructure Report Card. It is a comprehensive assessment evaluating the country’s infrastructure of roads, public buildings, mass transit, airports, water systems and more. America’s infrastructure got an overall grade of a C, an increase from the C- grade received in 2021. 

Stormwater’s national grade remained stagnant at a D. This grade is assigned to infrastructure labeled as poor, at risk of failure and below standard with elements reaching end of service life and significant deterioration. The forward momentum on America’s overall grade is an achievement, but more investments are needed in stormwater with it lagging behind the national average. Read the full ASCE Executive Summary Report on our website, with stormwater details found on page 22.

ASCE is hosting a Stormwater Infrastructure Report Card webinar on Tuesday, June 17 at 1 p.m. to learn more about stormwater’s grade. SMC Executive Director Kurt Woolford will be a panelist. Register here.

"The 2025 Report Card on America's Infrastructure shows that when we invest in our nation's infrastructure, the grades improve and our communities and businesses benefit," said Darren Olson, Chair of the ASCE Committee on America’s Infrastructure. "While the stormwater grade remained one of our lowest grades, we are encouraged that continued investments from agencies, such as Lake County Stormwater Management Commission and others, will begin to move that grade toward one we can be proud of."

Each DCEO capital improvement project was chosen for its potential to deliver the greatest countywide impact on stormwater management. These DCEO  capital improvements not only limit flooding but can have a huge impact on the quality of life of Lake County residents.

In-depth project details about SMC’s DCEO infrastructure projects are available in the 2025 Stormwater Grants in Action book. The book contains details about how the appropriated funds have been invested and which projects remain unfunded. You can learn more about a few round-two DCEO projects with the below video. 

Learn more about SMC’s work on our website at lakecountyil.gov/stormwater.