Chicago residents advised to delay showers, reduce water use as Overflow Action Alert issued
CHICAGO — When heavy rain is expected in Chicagoland, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago will sometimes issue an “Overflow Action Day Alert.”
Forecast: Rainy conditions Friday, temps in low 40
The MWRD issues Overflow Action Alerts in an effort to reduce the amount of water in municipal sewers to help mitigate flooding and sewer backups when showers and storms batter Chicagoland.
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When the alerts are in effect, the MWRD asks residents to take several steps before and during heavy rains to help avoid flooding inside and around homes, including delaying showers and baths, flushing toilets less frequently and waiting to run the dishwasher or washing machine.
Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog
On average, the MWRD treats 1.47 billion gallons of wastewater per day, but during storms, the number reaches above 2 billion gallons. After several days of rain, the MWRD has less capacity to hold and treat additional water.
Visit the MWRD website to view a full list of actions residents can take to prevent flooding.
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