Rain, rain, don’t go away—Chicago is taking action to prevent widespread flooding, so major rainfall doesn’t have to be a downer. Listen up:
Hang in there! Flood-proofing help is on the way! (CNT/RainReady)
Rain means puddle-jumping fun—until a torrential downpour creates a flooded dystopia in your home.
Part of the reason home flooding can occur is that large cities are often a sea of hard, impervious surfaces, and most have aging water infrastructure. Chicago, alas, is no exception.
This means that during heavy rains, runoff from roofs, sidewalks, and streets can overwhelm the aging city system—and end up in basements.
Enter, informed solutions from the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT).
“We estimate that one in six properties in Cook County, Illinois is affected by flooding—potentially far more—so the problem is huge,” says CNT Water Program Director Harriet Festing.
To address it, CNT launched RainReady, a program that includes public projects such as permeable paving, and solutions for homeowners such as landscaping to divert runoff, rain gardens, and plumbing fixtures.
Festing says the RainReady program not only protects individual homes—it also generates jobs and leads to cleaner waterways that we can all appreciate.
Get schooled:
- Learn how RainReady helps communities across the country manage flooding and drought through changing climate
- Check out CNT’s innovative water policies and solutions
- Read about how rain gardens can prevent flooding, with info from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Watch a real home get flood-proof, thanks to CNT/RainReady:
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
