Curtis McCall Sr.

In addition to millions in repairs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the state will require the city to pay a $30,000 penalty.

Replacing the sewer line is an essential step in fixing Cahokia Heights' faulty system that's left residents with backed-up toilets, flooded basements and standing water in their yards.

As Cahokia Heights residents found themselves continuously sick with respiratory conditions, heart problems, and bacterial infections they had one question — where were the health officials?

In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered Cahokia Height’s two water providers — Illinois American and the city — to monitor the drinking water after the federal agency found “violations and significant deficiencies.”

Residents have dealt with sewage flooding their homes and neighborhoods after heavy rains for years. With a new grant from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Cahokia Heights plans to complete repairs in February 2026.

The mayors and the director of the Metro East Sanitary District said other, wealthier St. Clair County communities should help pay for a key drainage ditch’s maintenance.

Raw sewage backups and chronic flooding have been a decades-long issue in Centreville, now Cahokia Heights. Residents previously filed two federal lawsuits over these issues in 2020 and 2021.

The Illinois Democrat toured homes in the area to see the damage from chronic flooding during heavy rains, which often contains raw sewage.

Residents and officials from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency say more support is needed.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth says the infrastructure deal will cover the cost of repairing decades-old problems."