Green Infrastructure for Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control

  • Location - At 17 select intersections along Simms Street and 4th Street from Galena Boulevard to Euclid Avenue.
  • Purpose - Removes storm water from the combined sewer to reduce basement backups and combined sewer overflows. Allows storm water to infiltrate into the ground, providing water quality improvements. Plants promote evapotranspiration, produce oxygen, and reduce urban heat island affects. Also, the area provides traffic calming and reduces cut through traffic, and shortens cross walk lengths, improving safety for motorists and pedestrians.
  • BMP Size - Varies depending on intersection.
  • BMP Design - Uses amended soil and perennial plants, bushes and trees to infiltrate and treat storm water runoff. Existing subsurface sand and gravel promotes infiltration of water into the ground.
  • BMP Benefit - Decreases volume and peak runoff of storm water from the combined sewer. Promotes infiltration to reduce total suspended solids. Reduces volume of water entering combined sewer, which reduces basement backups and combined sewer overflows to the Fox River.
  • Status - Completion fall 2014
Rain Garden