The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago monitors the weather daily. We prepare for extreme rain events by capturing as much water as possible to reduce stormwater damage. This involves making sure our tunnel system and reservoirs are empty and our treatment plants are fully operational.
We were well-prepared for the record-breaking storm on July 2. The unpredicted storm became more extreme and hovered over certain areas. The rainfall for some Cook County areas was four inches, and others over eight inches in a few hours. There was simply too much stormwater in a short amount of time, and to convey that amount of water to the MWRD reservoir was like trying to drain a swimming pool with a straw.
