While an American eel in the Chicago River is extraordinary in and of itself, what’s equally exciting is what the aquatic critter’s presence suggests about the health of our waterway.

Board meetings are open to the public and can be streamed online.

MWRD Commissioners and staff met with key Illinois state legislators, focusing on ways to strengthen the MWRD’s capacity to manage stormwater, advance wastewater treatment, and boost overall operational efficiency in managing the flow of water for Chicago and 128 municipalities that the MWRD serves.

Guests took home free oak tree saplings, milkweed and native wildflower seeds to support stormwater management and the lifecycle of the monarch butterfly and other pollinators.

Villar delivered a compelling keynote that intertwined his family’s immigrant journey, a legacy of labor activism and the enduring power of cross‑racial solidarity in the American labor movement.

This year’s theme is “Water Connects Us, Pride Unites Us.”