How does the Chicago sewer system work?
The Chicago area sewers are a web of combined sewer systems. Unlike a separate sewer system where the sanitary and stormwater drain to separate pipes, in a combined sewer system, both sanitary sewage and stormwater drain into the same pipes. These local sewers contain water from homes, businesses and street drains.
Can gutters drain into sewer?
Improperly connected gutters put clear water into the wastewater system. Discharging this water to the wastewater systems is illegal and needs to be addressed. Gutters and downspouts should drain onto your property or into the city stormwater system, not the wastewater system.
Does Chicago treat its sewage?
In addition to its water supply system Chicago has an extensive wastewater treatment system. Wastewater is handled by an independent government authority, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD).
Does Chicago dump sewage into Lake Michigan?
Early Chicago sewage systems discharged directly into Lake Michigan or into the Chicago River, which itself flowed into the lake. The city’s water supply also comes from the lake, through water intake cribs located two miles offshore.
Where does Chicago’s dirty water go now?
As the city grew, fear of disease spread, and officials decided to permanently reverse the river’s flow, sending its polluted water to the Mississippi River instead. A 28-mile-long canal was built between the Chicago River and the rivers that drain into the Mississippi.
Can rain water drain into sewer?
Surface water drainage occurs when rainwater from your property drains into the sewer. Your company collects and treats this surface water. There is a charge for this service.
Why shouldn’t you hook up your downspouts to the sewer system?
Just like the discharge tubing from a sump pump, connecting a downspout directly into an underground drain can allow for ice to back up. Don’t do this. While a blocked sump pump discharge can lead to a wet basement, so can blocked downspouts. From there, a yard drain takes the water to a lower point in the yard.
Is it safe to swim in Chicago River?
First, though many portions of the Chicago River are manmade, it is still a moving body of water, filled with living organisms and aquatic wildlife. It will never be as clean as, say, a pool. Public health officials say that no human should swim in any body of water with high levels of fecal coliform.
Is there raw sewage in the Chicago River?
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.
Is the Chicago River polluted?
Although the river still struggles with pollution, especially during and after storms, it has become significantly cleaner in recent decades. Now, the Chicago nonprofit Current wants to give you real-time updates on the river’s water quality with just a few taps on your phone, much like checking the weather.
Is it illegal to swim in the Chicago River?
City law prohibits swimming in so-called unsafe waters, including the Chicago River, according to Chicago Police Officer Jose Estrada, a department spokesman. The Chicago River has long been considered unsafe to drink or swim in, and even a quick dip in it may be harmful on its own.