Chicago-area officials are asking residents to delay taking showers or washing dishes in an effort to leave room in the region’s sewer system ahead of potential severe weather on Saturday.
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago has issued an “overflow prevention alert” on Saturday ahead of a series of showers and thunderstorms that are expected to impact the region.
The alert is designed to help maintain enough room in the region’s sewer system, with extra rainwater anticipated to make its way into sewers because of the inclement weather.
Residents in Chicago and immediately-surrounding areas are being asked to:
-Delay showers and baths
-Flush toilets less frequently
Local
-Wait to wash dishes, or to do laundry
According to Friends of the Chicago River, Chicago water management agencies can opt to dump excess water into the Calumet and Chicago River systems during times when heavy rain overwhelms sewers, and keeping more wastewater from entering the system during that weather can help avoid that step.
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It is not clear how much rain could fall in the Chicago area on Saturday, but severe thunderstorms are possible, with a tornado watch in effect for most of the region.
