"Steady rain causing flooding in Chicago area; officials urge people to limit water use," CBS Chicago
CBS Chicago: Steady and often heavy rainfall throughout the day on Friday led to flooded streets in many parts of the Chicago area.
Many areas got more than an inch of rain by Friday afternoon, and water management crews were keeping a close eye on levels at area stormwater storage systems.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago put out an "overflow alert" ahead of Friday's rain, asking people to hold off on water usage when possible.
Officials said the number of overflow alerts is rising from year to year, something they attribute to climate change and the rising number of severe rain events.
After nonstop raining overnight, rain pooled on the streets of Rogers Park and West Ridge on Friday.
High water on the Eisenhower Expressway and Stevenson Expressway also led to a major slowdown for drivers creeping through standing water.
Inside the control room at the Water Reclamation District, officials showed how they prepare for heavy rain events.
"Do we have a space in our reservoirs? Do we have space in our tunnels? Is Water Reclamation ready for this extreme rain event?" MWRDGC President Kari Steele said.
Steele said their stormwater storage system was in good shape on Friday, but crews were taking extra precautions, because the ground is so frozen that it can't absorb as much precipitation as it would in warmer times of the year.
"Now that water is just rolling right off into the sewer lines. So we don't have that extra natural storage capacity that we've have had in the past," Steele said.
As they try to keep the water moving, they're asking people in the Chicago area to help limit the amount of water going into sewer systems by limiting their water use at home as much as possible for the next few days.
"We need you to use less water at home. Don't run the dishwasher, don't wash clothes, and take a short shower. That would help us a lot at the MWRD," Steele said.
Although some commuters will likely still see water pooling on their drives home, the overflow alert does not end when the rain stops overhead. The Water Reclamation District said it likely will remain in effect for another two days.