MWRD - Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

08/05/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/05/2026 08:14

MWRD issues Overflow Action Alert

MWRD issues Overflow Action Alert

August 5, 2026

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With heavy rain expected in the Chicago area today, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) encourages area residents and business owners to reduce water use during and after the anticipated rain to help prevent flooding and protect water quality:

  • Delay showers and baths.
  • Flush less frequently.
  • Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine.

"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," said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. "We encourage everyone to conserve water when possible to create more capacity in our systems."

WHERE TO LEARN MORE

Learn how to prepare for stormwater: https://mwrd.org/community-action/you-can-help-prevent-flooding-and-protect-water-quality.

Learn more about Combined Sewer Overflow prevention: https://mwrd.org/community-action/overflow-action

Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alerts via text: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/YhH2xGP/MWRDSignup

Learn what you should do during flooding: https://mwrd.org/community-action/what-you-should-do-during-flooding

For more information and explanations about how the MWRD's infrastructure and waterway system operate, visit these links:

Learn about the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP): https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/tunnel-and-reservoir-plan-tarp

Understand how the Chicago Area Waterway System works: https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/reducing-flooding/chicago-area-waterway-system-caws

Learn about the types of sewer systems in Cook County: https://mwrd.org/community-action/understanding-your-sewer

Request a presentation for your community: https://mwrd.org/education/speakers-and-outreach

Tour our facilities: https://mwrd.org/education/tours

Municipal partners can explore stormwater partnership opportunities: https://mwrd.org/stormwater/partnerships

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MWRD - Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago published this content on August 05, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 05, 2026 at 14:14 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]