• The east entrance to LeMoyne Street where the second installment of the MWRD Wing Storage Pilot Project, set to be complete this fall, along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • A road closure sign sitting at the east entrance to LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • Nine long pipes sitting on the grass along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • A MWRD Pilot Water Tank mostly constructed into its underground position along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • Two excavator buckets unattatched with rubble inside the scoups sitting along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford

The City of Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) have teamed up to tackle flooding on the West Side by collecting and storing stormwater in about 200, 12-foot-square concrete sections along LeMoyne Street. 

The project is expecting to provide flood protection to more than 2,900 homes, businesses and other buildings along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
The inside of one of the 12-foot by 12-foot concrete boxes with a ladder leanning against one of its walls along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
Three of the 12-foot by 12-foot concrete boxes that will be placed underground to help store stormwater along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford

The Wing Storage Pilot Project came from the collaborative effort to find the best way to address more storage capacity for the West Side. Together, the agencies “came up with an innovative solution that utilizes underground infrastructure to accommodate stormwater under side streets to give sewers more capacity to handle the flow,” according to MWRD. 

The $12 million infrastructure investment is the second of two underground Wing Storage installations; the other, on Maypole Avenue, was completed in the spring. The two projects are expected to provide nearly 1.7 million gallons of stormwater storage capacity. 

  • Three pilot water tanks sitting behind two road closure signs blocking access to the west enterance of LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • Two pilot water tanks sitting behind an excavator for the construction project along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • A noth view of the nearly complete construction of a 12-foot by 12-foot concrete box being placed underground along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • An excavator along with its attatchents sitting along LeMoyne Street beside three of the 12-foot by 12-foot pioot water tanks on Juy 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • An excavator sitting unused along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
  • Two 12-foot by 12-foot concrete boxes sitting side-by-side awaiting to be placed underground along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford

According to ABC 7, the West Side storage tanks are part of a more than $500 million investment that the city plans to address flooding and upgrade the aging sewer system. 

Construction on the LeMoyne Street project will be completed in the fall and is expected to provide flood protection to more than 2,900 homes, businesses and other buildings across the 28th, 29th and 37th wards. 

Construction for the MWRD Wing Storage Pilot Project along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford
A few of the pilot tanks sitting behind a pile of dirt and rubble along LeMoyne Street on July 24, 2026. Credit: Emma Bradford

The project aims to prevent a recurrence of severe flooding that impacted West Side neighborhoods during the major storms in July 2023. Austin, West Garfield Park and Galewood are all expected to benefit the most from the storage tanks. 

Emma Bradford is an intern for NEWSWELL CHICAGO through Report for America’s Local News Internship Program.