Chicago sewage overflow

During rain events, the sewer system and treatment plants could not accommodate the additional flow, and combined sewage would overflow to the local waterways over days per year. Within the combined sewer areas there were over outfalls that released polluted combined sewer overflows CSOs into the waterways. During particularly large storms, the rivers were forced to reverse to their natural direction, releasing raw sewage into the lake.

Beach closings were frequent along the Lake Michigan shoreline and the area waterways were polluted and devoid of aquatic life. In addition, combined sewage would back up into basements of homes and businesses. Construction of the Phase I tunnel systems began in The tunnel systems were put into service as portions were completed, starting in By , all of Phase I was completed and in operation. The total system consists of more than miles of deep, large diameter, rock tunnels providing 2.

Phase II of TARP consists of reservoirs intended primarily for flood control, but it will also considerably enhance pollution control benefits being provided under Phase I. The U. When all three reservoirs are completed, the reservoirs will increase the TARP system storage volume to Game fish have returned, marinas and riverside restaurants abound, river recreation and tourism are booming, and waterfront real estate values have skyrocketed as Chicago area residents see the river system as a major asset rather than an embarrassment.

TARP has been named by the U. Environmental Protection Agency as one of the nation's top Clean Water Act success stories and is serving as a model urban water management tool worldwide. What is the purpose of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan? Replace leaky toilets. Products bearing the waterSense label can save nearly 13, gallons of water per year. Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket.

Remove downspouts from storm sewer: Install rain barrels to capture water from downspots and store for later use. A downspot can dump as much as 12 gallons per minute into the sewer system. Natural Landscaping: Use native vegetation as opposed to turf grass. Native plants have root systems that extend down three to more than 10 feet.

In contrast, the root zone of turf grass typically extends only about three to four inches, according to the city's department of water management. Permeable Paving: Use paving blocks or grids, rather than asphalt or concrete, to reduce runoff into the sewer system.

South Branch of the Chicago River, May Photo credit: The Watchers. Since the the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District MWRD treats all water that enters its sewers, any water conserved effectively increases treatment capacity. If concentrated and timed properly, Overflow Action Days has the ability to offset combined sewer overflows throughout the Chicago River system.

The system captures excess stormwater and wastewater until it can be treated at one of three MWRD plants. TARP was designed to prevent flooding and combined sewer overflows. However, while the system of tunnels and reservoirs has contributed to significant improvements in water quality, the reservoirs are not complete and climate change has exacerbated these issues.

Climate change forces us to act collectively and to support multi-pronged approaches to reduce the environmental and economic damages of these extreme rain events. Climate change is making it harder to manage stormwater and prevent CSOs in the Chicago metropolitan area. Weather data shows the number of year rain events has nearly doubled over the past century due to a rapidly changing climate.

At this time, however, much of Chicago's riverways remain unsafe to recreate in. So for now, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District will keep dumping raw sewage in to our rivers and we'll keep notifying citizens when it happens.

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