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Deep Tunnel Captures Heavy Rains
September 15, 2006 Deep Tunnel Captures Heavy Rains Terrence J. O’Brien, President of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, announced today that the District’s Deep Tunnel is full following this week’s heavy rainfall. President O’Brien said, “The tunnels serving the hardest hit areas are the Little Calumet River tunnel, and the Torrence Avenue tunnel, which together hold 622 million gallons of stormwater and wastewater. This is all water that did not go into people’s homes and businesses. Just as important is the fact that the District was able to avoid pumping any sewer overflow into the Calumet River or near Lake Michigan at 95th Street, where rainfall was measured at 2.67 inches. We are committed to protecting Lake Michigan from any pollution and we are pleased that the tunnel system performed just as we had hoped.” The District’s staff opened gates at the Lockport Powerhouse in the early morning hours on Wednesday to lower the level of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Cal-Sag Channel. This action provided more storage room for overflow in the waterways and protected the lake from river reversals. The District collects and treats wastewater from more than five million people in Cook County and the industrial equivalent of another four million people. The District also provides stormwater management for all of Cook County. The District’s web address is www.mwrd.org. # # # |