Office of Senator Dick Durbin: WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Kari K. Steele, President of Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to discuss funding for the Thornton Reservoir, which was built to reduce chronic flooding in the Great Lakes region. During their meeting, Durbin and President Steele spoke about securing federal reimbursement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of the reservoir, which was guaranteed through MWRD’s Project Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Despite the reservoir being in service since 2015 and providing an estimated $660 million in flood reduction benefits to 14 communities, the Army Corps still owes MWRD approximately $200 million in reimbursements.

Last month, Durbin wrote to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, urging leadership to include $25 million in construction funds in its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Work Plan to reimburse the MWRD for the work on Thornton Reservoir. Durbin also filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act that would add language to the bill directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to make funding available for reimbursements like those owed to MWRD.

“MWRD is assigned the critical task of keeping our water supply safe while also ensuring our water infrastructure is in working order. Despite the critical nature of this work, MWRD is still waiting for its reimbursement for the construction of Thornton Reservoir,” said Durbin. “As I told MWRD leadership in our meeting today, I will continue to push for this reimbursement and to offer the resources MWRD needs to keep our state’s water infrastructure up and running.”

In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Durbin secured a $20 million earmark for MWRD to address excessive flooding in historically underserved communities in the Chicagoland area, including Harvey, South Holland, and Blue Island.

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