The RainReady℠ program, an initiative of the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), has received a $30,000 EPA Environmental Justice Award. The grant will be used to support CNT’s work helping homeowners reduce sewer backups and flooding in Chatham, a neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side. The work is being done in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  “We’re very grateful to the EPA. This comes at a critical time as cities like Chicago brace for more frequent and severe... Read the rest of this entry »

Every urban community and neighborhood around the world served by a centralized water supply system is plagued by the same problem: Aging water infrastructure that slowly leaks and loses trillions of gallons of water every year. The looming capital investment necessary to repair and upgrade aging water infrastructure will put a severe financial strain on utilities and local governments that are already having trouble avoiding red ink. This, along with the impending impact of climate change,... Read the rest of this entry »

 “People do not realize that this block, which becomes the dumping ground of rain runoff from other communities, experiences mini Katrinas yearly.”—Midlothian resident The Chicagoland community of Midlothian is no stranger to flooding. Located at the convergence of three watersheds, it has seen its absorbent open spaces paved over by a century of suburban development. At this point, even light to moderate rainstorms can cause overbanking from the creeks and the stormwater conveyance... Read the rest of this entry »

New state study finds 92% of flood damage claims are from homeowners and businesses outside floodplains   SPRINGFIELD – Illinois experienced the wettest June in recorded history as we continue to see an increase in the frequency and intensity of rain events nationwide. This has resulted in more and more flooded homes and businesses, bringing with it the associated costs of property damage, negative health impacts, loss of work time and a significant loss in property value. A new... Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05) and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the bicameral Urban Flooding Awareness Act to address increased flooding in urban communities and to find solutions for the urban communities impacted.  “Flooding is not just a coastal issue. In recent years, cities, like Chicago, have experienced unprecedented flooding events. While emergency programs provide relief for families and businesses in traditional flood areas, those... Read the rest of this entry »

Our recent report The Prevalence and Cost of Urban Flooding was a game changer in our efforts to keep homes and businesses dry and increase community resiliency in the face of increasingly severe rainstorms. We set out to pinpoint where exactly urban flooding was happening, and to our surprise we found that the majority of flood damage occurs outsideof designated floodplains. Because most flood relief programs focus on people who live within floodplains, we discovered... Read the rest of this entry »

Across the country, millions of dollars are spent every year repairing the damage caused by urban flooding – and it’s likely to keep getting worse. Heavy rain events are increasing, absorbent surfaces are lost to concrete and asphalt, and resource-strapped cities have fewer and fewer funds available for large stormwater infrastructure projects. Our latest report, A RainReady Nation, offers a suite of cost-effective solutions to keep homes and businesses dry. The Center for Neighborhood... Read the rest of this entry »

CNT’s November 2013 report, The Case for Fixing the Leaks, offered a look at the disconcerting state of America’s water infrastructure. The report found that America’s pipes leak a whopping 2.1 trillion gallons of treated water every year. In a time when parts of the country have been facing record-setting droughts, protecting our drinking water supply is more vital than ever. The Case for Fixing the Leaks was only the beginning. Since releasing the report, our water... Read the rest of this entry »

Urban flooding impacts people and communities all over the country, damaging homes and businesses, and polluting precious water resources. To address this issue, US Representatives Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Peter King (R-NY) introduced the bipartisan Urban Flooding Awareness Act. This federal legislation is designed to help develop a clear-cut definition of urban flooding, and requires a comprehensive study of the personal and social costs of urban flooding in America. “Stronger, more... Read the rest of this entry »

Urban flooding is a problem with a broad range of causes. The way neighborhoods are developed, the capacity of sewer systems, regional weather variations – all of these, and more, affect flood risk. This means it will take a diverse array of expertise to develop effective solutions to a community’s flooding problems. To start addressing flooding holistically, the Army Corps of Engineerscreated the Silver Jackets program to lead collaborative, interagency flood-risk management... Read the rest of this entry »