Columbus Dr Bridge
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The Deep Tunnel solution
Across the county is a labyrinth of giant sewer pipes designed to redirect polluted stormwater away from local water ways. The 109 miles of tunnels, some sitting as far as 300 feet underground, are one part of a flood control system known as the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, or Deep Tunnel project. When the plan is complete, these pipes will carry the area's stormwater and sewage overflow to one of three reservoirs, where the water will be held until it can be treated. The project is expected to extend to 2029.
Even uncompleted, the city and its suburbs are already reaping benefits from the project. The tunnel system can hold 2.3 billion gallons of overflow that would otherwise have to be discharged into nearby rivers. And the Majewski Reservoir has saved nearby communities more than $250 million in flood damages. However, Deep Tunnel is not the ultimate stormwater solution. A more long-term strategy is to prevent rain from flowing into sewers in the first place by replacing cement and asphalt with trees and plants, which can absorb rainwater. As the number of large storms continues to rise in Chicago, so does the importance of green infrastructure.
Even uncompleted, the city and its suburbs are already reaping benefits from the project. The tunnel system can hold 2.3 billion gallons of overflow that would otherwise have to be discharged into nearby rivers. And the Majewski Reservoir has saved nearby communities more than $250 million in flood damages. However, Deep Tunnel is not the ultimate stormwater solution. A more long-term strategy is to prevent rain from flowing into sewers in the first place by replacing cement and asphalt with trees and plants, which can absorb rainwater. As the number of large storms continues to rise in Chicago, so does the importance of green infrastructure.