Great Lakes Water Authority issues alert that heavy rainfall may exceed system capacity

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) issued an alert on July 9, 2024, that heavy rainfall could exceed the system capacity of water systems.

In the press release, GLWA Chief Operating Officer, Wastewater Operating Services, Navid Mehram, stated that GLWA wants to alert the community, especially those in low lying areas and those who have previously experienced flooding, that the U.S. National Weather Service is predicting severe storms with possible local heavy rainfall.

The storms are predicted to start in the afternoon on July 9 and continue into the next morning. Total rainfall is predicted to be 1.0 – 3.0 inches across the region, while localized heavy rainfalls can exceed 4.0 inches.

Meram stated that the regional system is working as designed and is in dry condition. However, the predicted rainfall may exceed the regional system’s capacity and lead to flooding.

GLWA is prepared to operate the system as designed in the face of the anticipated severe storm.

GLWA asks residents in low-lying areas that are prone to flooding during heavy rainfall to remain vigilant and out of an abundance of caution, to remove items of value from their basements.

It’s also helpful if residents do not run their washing machines and dishwashers during heavy rain events.