Chicago is one of 700 U.S. cities with combined sewer and stormwater systems that often lead to flooding during major rain events.
Chicago will update its 2014 green stormwater infrastructure plan in response to a new state permit program that requires cities to make improvements to combined sewer and stormwater systems that allow sewage to enter local waterways during flood events, a type of system common in hundreds of cities around the country.
As Ysabelle Kempe explains in Smart Cities Dive, the city is issuing a request for proposals for building more sustainable water infrastructure and collecting stormwater where it falls before letting it flow to rivers and lakes. “Chicago is looking for a consultant to map the city’s progress on GSI since 2014, conduct a cost-benefit analysis of existing GSI, examine other cities’ strategies, determine implementation challenges and identify potential policy changes that could promote more equitable GSI investments.”
The Illinois National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit requires an expansion of the GSI strategy as well as a focus on environmental justice communities and improved monitoring, reporting, and public engagement on stormwater and sewer issues.
FULL STORY: Storms send sewage into Chicago waterways. The city hopes a new green infrastructure plan can help.
Adapting Combined Sewer-Stormwater Systems to Climate Change
Only one coastal city has a sewer system that must handle stormwater as well as wastewater. San Francisco's efforts to adapt its combined sewer-stormwater system has put it on the vanguard of the city's climate adaptation efforts.
Study: Outdated Stormwater Infrastructure Exacerbates Flooding
Infrastructure built to mitigate flooding a century ago no longer serves current needs.
Study: Combined Sewer Systems Face Increased Flood Risk
Cities like Philadelphia and Boston are at higher risk of sewage overflows due to their aging sewer systems and rising sea levels.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research