Containing Stormwater Overflow

I debated where to put this, but decided that water was the main element.  Peoria, IL has a nasty stormwater overflow problem which is going to take millions of $$$ to be fixed. Monday night I'm going to a meeting about one proposal for green infrastructure

As you can see, it involves upgrading city infrastructure, neighborhood renewal, community agriculturem, job creation, access to capital, and a bunch more. We have other urban ag startups/traing programs in this zipcode area. I'll report back after the meeting

ClareBroommaker's picture

I guess this is a health and ecological problem in many places. My city and the regional sewer system is trying to catch up with increased impervious surface rainoff, plus an aging sewer system (some of it is still wood underground). Huge underground sewer tunnels are being rebuilt. It feels like a minor eathquake when the digger machines are at work hollowing out tunnels big enough to carry a subway.

Money, consultations, and workshops are being offered to install rain gardens, abandoned houses are soon to be destroyed in order to use the land for rain ponds, the big, open storm sewer "modernized" in the 1930's is continously being repaired. It appears the building permits are even occasionaly turned down due to concentration of sewer servicesthat would be needed in an old part of town (my part!). There has been talk of a tax increase based on the amount of impervious surface. But so far, I'm not aware of any enouragement at serious conservation of water use. Oh, occasionally, 50 gallon plastic rain barrels that fit to house gutters are offered at a supposed discount, but 50 gallons is really just a drop in the bucket with our amount of rainfall.

In the meantime, houses are getting flooded during summer rains. This has happened to me thee times in 24 years because, as in many older US cities, sanitary and storms sewers are partly combined. When it rains it pours sewage into basements. Well not each time, but increasingly so.

Another problem with underground pipes is that groundwater sometimes flows along the exterior of the pipes, churning out soil around the pipes. This causes underground caves to develop and underground pipes to lose support, so that they leak, break, and make the problem worse. Sink holes develop and and draw down the surface, be it street, alley, sidewalk, or someone's garden.

Last September we had a 24hr rainfall. Our sump pump worked great but the sanitary sewer backed up into our basement. Luckily we caught it in time and we were able to avoid a flood.

The town had and information session about the problem and what they are doing to try and stop the storm water going into the sanitary sewers. There is work planned.

They also had information about what homeowners could do, though they didn't talk about rain garderns or water barrels.

The Well Farm has been up and running.

I hope you can see this Facebook video

How the project was put together.