Preventing Basement Flooding in Cicero/Berwyn

• Hardy Adjunta Quevedo
• Damian Opiola
• Enpei Chen
• Ryan Nerada
• Liang Zhao

The organization AGU/Ixchel requested for a Civil Engineering team to assist with mitigating basement flooding in Berwyn and Cicero. Floods are a frequent natural hazard in Illinois, and are the most costly hazard in terms of property damage and people affected. The communities of Cicero and Berwyn are considered social vulnerable, which means the best benefit to cost solution is needed. The tunnel and reservoir plan (TARP) is already in effect for the area of cook county. Unfortunately, floods still persists in these communities due to the aging sewer infrastructure. The objective of this project is to reduce the demand of stormwater on the existing combined sewer and equip homes with backup prevention systems. The best method would be an overhead sewer system aided with check valves, alongside residential green infrastructure. Overhead sewers have been used to reduce and prevent sewer backup by raising the water head needed for sewage to enter the building. Check valves restricts the flow in a pipe to one direction, making it impossible for sewage to enter the building. Undesirably, it creates a heavy sewage backups for those without this system installed. Another objective would be to reduce the inflow of stormwater into the combined sewer system. The existing drainage system routes stormwater runoff into the combined sanitary sewer, leading to the sewer reaching capacity quickly. The storage of rainwater creates a buffer for the sewers by allowing rainwater to slowly make its way to the combined sewer. This reduces the inflow and allows the sewer system to drain properly. Feasible green infrastructure includes rain gardens, and retention areas for infiltration. The captured rainwater relieves the underground storm sewer system and releases rain water back into the atmosphere. These objectives are aimed to reduce the inflow to the sewers, and to prevent any possible backups.