"Chicagoans Asked To Reduce Water Use As Heavy Rain, Storms Hit City," Block Club Chicago
Block Club Chicago: The water reclamation district is asking residents to cut back on showering, running the dishwasher and doing laundry to prevent flooding.
Officials are warning Chicagoans to reduce their water usage in their homes ahead of heavy rain expected to hit Wednesday into Thursday.
A line of thunderstorms are expected to move into the area Wednesday afternoon, with lightning strikes, damaging winds and heavy rainfall that could result in flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
The storms are also expected to create life-threatening conditions along the lakefront, with waves between 5-9 feet tall anticipated through Friday, according to the weather service. Showers and storms — and the possibility of flooding — could linger into Thursday morning.
Wednesday’s storms come after heavy rain on Monday caused widespread flooding on the Southwest Side.
Officials at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago issued an “overflow action alert” Wednesday morning ahead of the rainfall, asking residents to reduce water use to help prevent the sewer system from overflowing.
In Chicago, stormwater sewers use the same pipes that buildings use for their wastewater. Taking a shower, flushing a toilet too frequently or running the dishwasher or washing machine — all of which use a lot of water — can contribute to an overflow of the system, causing a sewer backup during heavy rainfall, officials said.
“When too much water enters sewers too quickly, the sewers can back up into streets and basements. Additionally, extra water in sewers can cause them to overflow into the river in some cases,” officials said in the alert. “Every little bit of conservation can help reduce the overall amount of water in the system.”
The district’s tunnel and reservoir system captures and stores both stormwater and sewage that would otherwise overflow from sewers into waterways during stormy weather.
The nearly 12-billion-gallon system allows sewage and stormwater to be diverted to the Majewski Reservoir near Elk Grove Village, Thornton Composite Reservoir near South Holland and McCook Reservoir in Bedford Park via four tunnels that extend for 110 miles.
Cooler and much less humid conditions are expected Thursday through the weekend with plenty of sunshine.