Chicago could follow other Midwest cities in storm water collection

Chicago could follow other Midwest cities in storm water collection
Chicago could follow other Midwest cities in storm water collection

Chicago could follow other Midwest cities in storm water collection

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Storms that produce two or more inches of rain in a short amount of time have become more frequent in recent years, and our local sewer systems can’t move that amount of water that quickly. That’s when basements get flooded and homes get ruined. One answer to the problem is creating rain gardens, where storm water can flow down into the ground instead of over it and into your house. In Milwaukee, they’re putting rain gardens and urban ag where dilapidated, foreclosed homes used to be. With over 45,000 vacant parcels of land in Cook County, could we repurpose some of this land to help stop flooding? Commissioner Bridget Gainer of the Cook County Land Bank talks about the possibilities. Photo: Flickr/State Farm