Chicago Builds Underground Storage to Tackle Extreme Rainfall

Chicago officials are constructing a $12 million underground stormwater detention system on the city’s West Side. The Wing Storage project, a collaboration between the Chicago Department of Water Management and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, aims to capture and store nearly 1.7 million gallons of excess rainfall.

This initiative follows severe flooding in 2023 and comes as Chicago’s existing Deep Tunnel system, over 100 miles of tunnels, nearly reached capacity after heavy rains over the July 4th weekend. The project intends to equitably address climate resilience, as data shows 87% of flood damage insurance claims between 2007 and 2016 occurred in communities of color on Chicago’s south and west sides.

These areas are particularly vulnerable due to natural drainage patterns and historical infrastructure investments. The city will evaluate Wing Storage’s effectiveness to guide future flood mitigation projects. Officials hope this targeted approach will offer a more efficient alternative to replacing entire sections of the sewer system as climate change increases the frequency of extreme rainfall events.