MWRD, city of Chicago to collaborate on new underground storage project to protect West Side from flooding

January 28, 2025

Officials with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) have announced plans to partner with the City of Chicago to fund the construction of $12 million in underground stormwater storage facilities designed to help mitigate flooding for West Side residents and build capacity for local sewers to capture rainfall during intense storms.

The MWRD Board of Commissioners on Dec. 19 authorized the MWRD to fund up to $6 million toward the Chicago Department of Water Management's plans to build underground storage infrastructure at Le Moyne Street between Luna and Lorel Avenues in the 37th Ward and on Maypole Avenue between Cicero Avenue and Lavergne Avenue in the 29^th Ward. The projects will provide approximately 1.7 million gallons of stormwater storage and flood protection to more than 3,000 homes, businesses and other buildings in the 28th, 29th and 37th wards on Chicago's West Side.

This critical initiative aims to enhance stormwater management, reduce flooding, and support the city's commitment to sustainable and equitable infrastructure, following devastating storms that inundated the West Side in July of 2023. The new infrastructure will benefit parts of both North and South Austin and portions of West Garfield Park and Galewood.

"We're proud to collaborate with the Chicago Department of Water Management, various west side elected officials and especially Alderwoman Emma Mitts, who has been instrumental in helping coordinate this innovative project to bring flood prevention to the forefront for the West Side," said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. "This investment will help protect communities from stormwater challenges while advancing our shared goal of resilient infrastructure."

Alderwoman Mitts represents Chicago's 37th Ward, which includes portions of Austin, West Humboldt Park, and Garfield Park. She is also chairperson of the Westside Black Elected Officials. These communities face severe stormwater management challenges.

"In 2023, our neighborhoods experienced devastating flooding that affected families and businesses across the West Side. This underground storage project is a significant step forward in addressing these issues and preventing future damage," said Alderwoman Mitts. "For too long, communities like ours have borne the brunt of environmental challenges. This project represents a commitment to environmental justice and ensures that all residents, regardless of their ZIP code, have access to critical infrastructure that protects them from the impacts of extreme weather."

The Lemoyne Street and Maypole Avenue sites were chosen for their strategic importance in managing stormwater. The underground storage system will complement ongoing citywide initiatives to improve drainage and bolster climate resilience while advancing environmental equity.

"We are always working to identify innovative, scalable solutions to address the impact of climate change on our residents," said Randy Conner, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management. "I am very excited about this storage pilot and its potential for mitigating flooding on the West Side. I am confident that it will prove to be an effective tool in our toolbox to fight flooding and may be used elsewhere in the future."

Construction on the project is expected to begin mid-2025. The MWRD and the City of Chicago are committed to engaging the community throughout the project's development to ensure transparency and address local concerns.

For more information on MWRD's stormwater management initiatives, please visit mwrd.org.