More Locals Could Need Flood Insurance

If you live along the Fox or Illinois Rivers, be in Ottawa April 21^st.  That’s the message from Ottawa Building Inspector Mike Sutfin.

Representatives from FEMA, IDNR and insurance officials are holding a floodplain map meeting on the 21^st at the Ottawa Knights of Columbus Hall from 6 until 8.  Sutfin says new flood maps have raised the base flood elevation 1 ½ feet, meaning some people who didn’t need flood insurance before need it now.

Sutfin says now is the time to buy flood insurance because you’ll get a preferred premium.  If you don’t get the insurance before flood maps become final, Sutfin says the insurance could go from 200 dollars to costing 2,000 dollars.

The public will have a couple months to comment about the maps before they become final.