[ Urban Lab's H2o Project: Growing Water ]

In 2006 Urban Lab won a national competition sponsored by the History Channel to… Although the plan is a kind of uninvited voice for Chicago planners, it will have a major impact on how Chicago eventually addresses how it manages it’s water system in the future. Most notable and perhaps the most important aspect of the plan is to re-reverse the Chicago River.

Beginning with a few facts:

• 20% of the Earth fresh water is found in the Great Lakes
• 95% of the United States’ fresh water is found in the Great Lakes
• 1 Billion gallons of lake water per day is consumed by Chicagoans, approximately equivalent to what Canada pumps into the Great Lake each day to maintain water levels.
• >1% of drained water is renewed by Chicagoans

With the reversal of the Chicago most of the water is now drained into the mississippi. Interesting enough, my ancestor, Roswell B. Mason, who was Mayor of Chicago during the Chicago fire was also involved in this massive undertaking.  

For a city known for its boulevard system Urban Lab envisioned Chicago as a city of Eco-Boulevards - a “Living Machine” which will treat 100% of Chicago wastewater naturally.

The Growing Water project was inspired by three historic Chicago engineering feats: 

1. The “Emerald Necklace” of public parks, boulevards and waterways
2. The reversal of the Chicago River
3. The Deep Tunnel

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