Water alert issued for Chicago-area; residents asked to delay showers amid heavy rain, flooding

Chicago-area residents were urged to delay taking showers and skip running the washing machine or dishwasher Wednesday to help prevent flooding and stormwater backup amid heavy rain showers expected to last through Thursday.

“Our staff is managing billions of gallons of water at our seven water reclamation plants and through our Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, which is operating to protect our water environment and mitigate flooding,” Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari K. Steele said in an Overflow Action Day alert. “We encourage everyone to conserve water when possible to create more capacity in our systems.”

An Overflow Action Day Alert is issued by the MWRD when heavy rains are in the Chicago forecast. The alert serves as a reminder to residents to conserve water, to limit water usage to “absolute necessities.” That includes limiting shower times, waiting to run the dishwasher and washing machine, and flushing less frequently.

“In most of the Chicago area, rainwater goes through the same set of pipes as the water that goes down the drain in your home,” the MWRD said. “When too much water enters sewers too quickly, the sewers can back up into streets and basements. Additionally, extra water in sewers can cause them to overflow into the river in some cases. Every little bit of conservation can help reduce the overall amount of water in the system.”

As of 9:30 a.m., Live Doppler 5 radar showed widespread rain across the entire Chicago area, with some heavier pockets in counties to the south and in northwest Indiana.

The rain was expected to last most of the day Wednesday and Thursday, and could be heavy at times with isolated storms possible.

Rain timeline

Rain will continue into the afternoon, Scott said, though it won’t be as widespread. By about 2 p.m., the rain will is expected to remain mostly south of I-88.

Wednesday night into Thursday, more rain was expected, with lightning and rumbles of thunder. Thursday morning, showers are expected to stay mostly north and west of the city.

By Thursday afternoon, the rain will once again become widespread, Scott said, with showers and some storms through the Thursday evening commute.

By about 3 a.m. Friday, the rain will move south and into northwest Indiana.

Flooding concerns

The National Weather Service placed counties to the north and west under a moderate flood risk Wednesday, which ranks as level 2 of 4. On Thursday, the entire Chicago area will face a moderate flood risk, with “significant” rises on rivers and streams possible, the National Weather Service said.

Most areas will see between 2 to 3 inches of rain by Friday, though some locations could see higher totals.

“On average, about 1 to 3 inches,” Scott said.

Cooler temperatures are expected behind the storm system, Scott said, with temperatures in the upper 60s and low 70s Wednesday and Thursday, followed by temperatures in the 60s Friday and into the weekend.