Limestone quarry transformed into world's largest CSO storage facility

摘要

When it comes to the challenge of managing combined sewer overflow (CSO) through the use of existing resources, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) in the US state of Illinois has set a new standard. In November 2015, the MWRD completed the US$429-million conversion of a limestone quarry in the south suburbs of Chicago into the largest CSO storage facility in the world. With a capacity of 29.9 million cubic meters (m~3), the Thornton Composite Reservoir (TCR) provides flood protection benefits to more than 500,000 people in 14 communities and is a critical element of the District's comprehensive Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) for managing CSOs and protecting water quality throughout its service area.