The network will deliver real-time flood monitoring to city leaders, emergency responders and residents.
Verizon and startup Hyfi are behind the network.
They said Chicago is now the most flood-prone city in North America.
Since 2019, Chicago has recorded more than 38,000 basement floods, over 10,000 annual flood complaints and sewer system backups with just 2 inches of rain, they said.
High-tech, low-cost sensors are being installed in dozens of potential flood-prone areas across the city of Chicago.
Hyfi, the creator of the sensor, is teaming up with Verizon, leveraging its 5G network to provide that data in real-time, with hopes of limiting property damage, or even saving lives.
"The goal of these sensors is to really show how technology can help cities become more resilient in the face of natural disasters, and in this case, flooding," said Donna Epps, chief responsible business officer for Verizon.
Flooding is considered the most costly natural disaster in the U.S., causing billions of dollars in damage annually. In the summer of 2023, two heavy rainfall events flooded parts of Cicero, Oak Park and Chicago. A National Weather Service Chicago report says more than 10,000 homes experienced flood damage, costing at least $500 million.
"Chicago doesn't necessarily have hurricanes that you think of, say, in the Gulf, or significant rivers that may cause riverine flooding. It's very city-driven, neighborhood level, urban flooding, and that's a very hard problem to solve," Hyfi CEO Brandon Wong said.
His company's flood sensor uses sonar to send signals toward the surface of the water. Based on the time it takes for the echo to come back to the sensor, they can measure the water level.
Thanks to Verizon's network, that data is recorded and available immediately, allowing city leaders, first responders and residents the chance to be proactive.
"We can begin to forecast eight, sometimes 24 hours in advance where the flooding is going to occur, and that can show up to a 30% reduction in damages," Wong said.
Most of the sensors are being installed on the West and South sides. According to a 2019 study by the Center for Neighborhood Technology, urban flooding disproportionately impacts communities of color. The study cited insurance data showing 87% of flood damage insurance claims between 2007 and 2016 were paid in communities of color.
"Three quarters of a million of people that were affected, 200,000 people were children. About 100,000 of those people were elderly folks, again, vulnerable communities that don't necessarily have the resources to get what they need," said Nina Idemudia, CEO of the Center for Neighborhood Technology.
So far, 10 sensors have been installed across the city, with another 40 on the way.
Verizon says it plans to roll out these sensors in more cities across the country over the next year.
This comes as the Milwaukee area experienced record flooding over the weekend.
Some parts of Milwaukee experienced over 14 inches of rain in less than 24 hours.
More rain is possible this week.