Why is the River Green?
The DeKalb Sanitary District, in cooperation with the City of DeKalb Street Department, conducts cross-flooding tests of the integrity of the sanitary sewer and storm sewer systems.
Cross-flooding is done by introducing dye into the storm sewers. Then closed-circuit television is used to observe any impact on adjacent sanitary sewers. This simulates what happens during rain events.
Doing these tests helps the City of DeKalb and the DeKalb Sanitary District find the leaks and fix them to keep storm water where it belongs when it rains. When the storm sewers are drained, the dye will be visible in the Kishwaukee River.
This dye is non-toxic and will not harm aquatic life.
No changes in the use of water in your home will be necessary. Crews do not need access to homes. There may be some temporary traffic disruption during testing.