Saturday, August 9, 2008

With 14 sewage pumps inactive, South Side at risk of flooding

Sun-Times:
Last Monday's storm flooded the world's largest water pumping station at 3838 S. Racine, knocking out 14 massive pumps.

While all of the pumps are expected to be back in service within two weeks, the city is preparing for the possibility of South Side flooding if another big rain should hit before enough pumps are ready for use.
...

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District spokeswoman Jill Horist said that with only a quarter inch of rain predicted for the weekend and at least two pumps expected to be back on line Monday, the district is "reasonably confident that all should be fine."

However, the Office of Emergency Management and Communications says it's preparing for a worst-case scenario.

"The lack of a working pumping station puts some parts of the City of Chicago's South Side at a slightly higher risk of flooding should another significant storm come before the repairs have been made," said Ray Orozco, executive director of the emergency office.

The station serves a 26-square-mile area from Racine east to the lakefront, and Roosevelt south to 87th Street, pumping storm and waste water from the sewers to the Stickney Water Treatment Plant.

A memo from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times paints a dire scenario if the South Side is hit by another big rain before enough pumps are back on line at the Racine station.

The memo said the district would need at least five pumps to handle a half inch rainfall, and that half an inch in a couple of hours could result in a disaster situation that could include loss of sewer service to more than 500,000 people, basement flooding in more than 30,000 homes and evacuation of up to 10,000 people.

Should this be a concern?

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