MWRD FLOW - February 2025
In this edition:
Upcoming Events
MWRD Board of Commissioners February meetings
Thursday, February 6 and 20, 10:30 a.m.
The MWRD Board of Commissioners will hold its Regular Board Meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 6 and Thursday, February 20.
Public comments may be made at the Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie Street, Chicago, during the Public Comment period.
An "In Progress" link under the Video Column will be active when there is a meeting in session. Closed captioning is available.
Monthly Virtual Tour set for Friday, February 14 at 2 p.m.
Embark on a captivating virtual tour with the MWRD this Valentine's Day.
Immerse yourself in the depths of the world's largest water reclamation facility, venture through the intricate Deep Tunnel system, encounter the enchanting dancing water bear, and witness the fascinating process of electrofishing in action. Delve into the rich history that defines us and discover the compelling stories that position the MWRD as a forward-thinking utility for the future.
MWRD's Pan-African Flag Raising set for February 3; Black History Month celebration set for February 20
Join us as we celebrate Black History Month with the raising of the Pan-African flag!
When: Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie St., Chicago, IL
The MWRD kicks off the month with its sixth annual Pan-African flag-raising ceremony at the Main Office Building and all seven water reclamation plants. This event honors the achievements of the Black community and MWRD’s commitment to diversity.
The MWRD will host its annual Black History Month program on Thursday, February 20, from 4:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. at the Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie St., Chicago.
This year’s national theme, “African Americans and Labor,” highlights the vital contributions and resilience of African Americans in shaping our nation’s workforce and labor movements.
Speakers include:
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Irma Holloway, Business Owner, Chief Operating Officer, Phoenix CCI, and Executive Director for Black Contractors Owners and Executives
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Fletcher J. Holmes, Jr., Business Agent/Political Director, Ironworkers Local 63
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Jonathan Jones, Director of Diversity, Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council
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Marcus Jordan, DEIA Outreach Coordinator for Operating Engineers Local 150 and the Indiana Illinois Iowa Foundation for Fair Contracting
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Joe Wells, DEIA Outreach Coordinator, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 134
Join us for an evening of insightful discussions, inspiring stories, and a celebration of Black excellence. All are welcome to attend this special event as we honor the past and envision a brighter future.
Monitoring and Research Monthly Seminar set for Friday, February 28 at 10:30 a.m.
"Be Ambitious: Durham Region’s Water and Wastewater Net-zero GHG Roadmap"
On Friday, February 28 at 10:30 a.m., Emma Shen, PhD, P.Eng., Global Principal, Jacobs, from Toronto, Ontario, Canada will give a presentation titled "Be Ambitious: Durham Region’s Water and Wastewater Net-zero GHG Roadmap".
In 2024, Durham Region (Ontario, Canada) developed a long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) management strategy for its water and wastewater (W&WW) facilities that aligns with the Region’s Corporate Climate Action Plan goal of achieving net-zero emission for corporate operations by 2045 – first of its kind in Ontario.
The Region’s GHG inventory was expanded to include applicable Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. Potential practical mitigation technologies to reduce GHG emissions at Region’s facilities were identified. Specifically, a two-year continuous nitrous oxide (N2O) monitoring program was initiated at the Duffin Creek Water Pollution Control Plant (co-owned by Durham and York Regions) in August 2023. This presentation explains the holistic approach and final recommendations for the net-zero roadmap, including the short-, medium- and long-term GHG reduction objectives, and the implementation plan for major projects. Results from the first year of N2O monitoring study will also be presented, including a unique hybrid model approach to data management and analysis.
In person: Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 West Pershing Rd., Cicero, IL. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance by emailing Dr. Heng Zhang at zhangH@mwrd.org or call (708) 588-4264 or (708) 588-4059.
Virtual: Go to Seminars and Presentations on January 31 for the link to access the seminar.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Heng Zhang, Assistant Director of Monitoring and Research, at (708) 588-4264 or (708) 588-4059.
The seminar is eligible for Professional Development Credits/CEUs.
Save the Date: Calumet Water Reclamation Plant Open House and Tours is set for Saturday, May 10
The MWRD will host an open house and tours at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, 400 E. 130th Street, Chicago in conjunction with Chicago Water Week on Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Stop by without advanced reservations to learn how we are recovering resources and transforming water.
All ages are welcome. Please wear closed-toe shoes.
Latest News
Board of Commissioners elect leadership positions at MWRD
The nine-member MWRD Board of Commissioners selected three of their peers to continue serving leadership roles.
President Kari K. Steele was elected president for a fourth term, Vice President Patricia Theresa Flynn was elected for a second term, and Chairman of Finance Marcelino Garcia was elected for a third term.
President Steele was elected to the Board of Commissioners in 2012 and re-elected in 2018 before being chosen by her colleagues in 2019 as the first chemist and African American female president elected in the history of the MWRD. She was nominated by Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis which was seconded by Commissioner Sharon Waller as president at the Jan. 9 Board of Commissioners’ meeting and unanimously elected as president.
Vice President Flynn, now in her second term since she was nominated and elected in June 2023, is in her first term on the Board of Commissioners since her election in 2022. Vice President Flynn was nominated by Commissioner Yumeka Brown and seconded by Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis for a second term.
Having been elected commissioner in 2018, Chairman Garcia was elected as an officer for the third time. He first became chairman of finance in 2021. Chairman Garcia was nominated by Commissioner Eira Corral Sepúlveda and seconded by Commissioner Cameron Davis.
Streeterville neighbors praise MWRD Melas Centennial Fountain
A newly renovated community landmark representing the region’s prized water resources and the service of the MWRD was recognized by its neighbors along the north bank of the Chicago River.
The Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR) honored the MWRD with a beautification award for its work renovating the Nicholas J. Melas Centennial Fountain. The awards were presented to MWRD Chairman of Finance Marcelino Garcia and MWRD staff at SOAR’s Annual Meeting on Jan. 30 at Harry Caray's 7th Inning Stretch and Chicago Sports Museum in Water Tower Place Mall.
MWRD Board of Commissioners issues Memorial Resolution celebrating the life of 39th President of the United States Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of public service emphasizing his philosophy that government should be competent and compassionate, and responsive to the American people and their expectations.
He served as President from 1977 to 1981 and was known as the first “green President.”
He spent his political career emphasizing environmental issues, including pushing the nation toward renewable energy and leading the largest single expansion of protected lands in American history, doubling the size of the national parks system by protecting millions of acres of wilderness in Alaska, including 25 rivers and their crucial aquatic ecosystems. Of particular note, Carter signed the Clean Water Act into law, strengthening the nation’s water pollution control program, providing funding for local sewage treatment grants, and highlighting the importance of controlling toxic pollutants.
MWRD, Forest Preserves of Cook County to study major project that would connect south suburbs with nature and alleviate flooding
The MWRD and the Forest Preserves of Cook County are partnering on a feasibility study in southeast Cook County for a collaborative project to provide flood relief, restore the local ecology and create new outdoor recreational opportunities for neighboring communities.
This 20-month study will assess the potential for the MWRD and the Forest Preserves to coordinate and share costs for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of a Deer Creek-Third Creek Reservoir.
If feasible, the system would provide naturalized stormwater storage for flood-prone communities in nearby Glenwood, Ford Heights, Lansing, Thornton, South Holland, Calumet City, Dolton and unincorporated areas.
Engineering Excellence Awards 2025
On Feb. 27, the MWRD will be receiving an Honor award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) for the Addison Creek Reservoir. ACEC is a federation of 51 state and metropolitan Member Organizations that advocate for America’s engineering companies and promote their essential value to society. Honor Awards are given for projects which are recognized for exceptional engineering that meet the needs of the client and benefit the public welfare.
Danish water-and-energy company to provide cogeneration to MWRD
There is significant demand for Danish green solutions in the North American water sector. One of the latest selections from the Danish “solutions menu” is two gas engines from the Danish company Nissen Energy. This combined heat and power system, also known as cogeneration, simultaneously produces electricity and useful thermal energy for heating or cooling from a single fuel source to achieve improved energy efficiency. The order was placed by the MWRD.
The two gas engines will enable MWRD’s water supply system to generate energy, aiming for energy neutrality in the long term. This marks a major sustainable milestone for the agency, which is one of the world’s largest wastewater treatment utilities, processing water for over 5.19 million residents in metropolitan Chicago every day.
Starting in 2025, Nissen Energy will deliver a complete package to the MWRD, including two 560 kW gas engines along. Baxter & Woodman / Boller Construction LLC will lead the design, construction and coordinate maintenance of the full system set to be installed at the MWRD’s Egan Water Reclamation Plant in Schaumburg, Illinois. The goal is to utilize the utility’s gas for heat and power, with an initial five-year maintenance agreement in place.
Resources
Sign up for Overflow Action Alert text messages
Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alert text messages. When we announce an Overflow Action Alert, you will be reminded to reduce your use of water before, during and after a storm to help prevent excess water from entering local sewers.
Join Our Team!
Are you seeking a new job?
If so, visit our online employment center to register, apply and learn more about jobs and the selection process at the MWRD. We also participate in job fairs throughout the county so stop by our table if you are in attendance! Staff in a variety of job classifications were interviewed to discuss their background and work that they do. The videos can be found on the MWRD YouTube page.
Salt Smart this winter
As the Chicago area braces for wintry conditions, residents and businesses will look to road salt to provide a stable, safer path along sidewalks, walkways, and streets. The MWRD advocates for a prudent approach to salt management.
Road salt can provide safety, but it also has unwanted ramifications for the water environment. Rock salt (sodium chloride) and salt runoff can be harmful to pets, bodies of water and soil along roadways and sidewalks. In addition, excessive road salt can impact vegetation, as well as contaminate groundwater and drinking water.
According to the Salt Smart Collaborative, chloride levels in northeastern Illinois rivers, lakes and wetlands have been on the rise for decades. The challenge with protecting Lake Michigan and the Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) is that road salt use increases with urban development, and the more development, the more miles of roads and walkways that need winter deicing. All that salt eventually makes its way to area waterways, and MWRD water reclamation plants cannot always filter it out before releasing it as clean water into the CAWS.
Follow these guidelines to protect the environment:
1. Shovel first. Salt should only be used after the snow is removed and only in areas needed for safety.
2. Size up. More salt does not mean more melting. A 12-ounce coffee mug of salt should be enough for a 20-foot driveway or 10 sidewalk squares (250 square feet).
3. Spread. Distribute salt evenly, not in clumps. Clumped salt is wasted salt.
4. Sweep. If there is leftover salt on the ground after the ice melts, then too much salt was used. Sweep up leftover salt to keep it out of local rivers and streams.
5. Switch. Untreated salt stops working if the temperature is below 15 degrees. When temperatures drop that low, switch to sand for traction or choose a different deicer formulated for colder temperatures.
Watch as NBC 5 Chicago shares this message.
What is the key to pollution prevention when it comes to are Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manmade fluorinated compounds that are designed to be stable and have been in commercial use since the 1940s. The stability of the chemicals makes them difficult to degrade which is why they are often called “forever chemicals.” PFAS are in commercial, consumer, and industrial products and and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that they are widely present in the environment; nonstick cookware, cosmetics, sunscreens, washing clothes, and fire-fighting foams can introduce PFAS into the environment.
Like other water utilities across the U.S., the MWRD is addressing how best to manage PFAS in the water environment. The MWRD’s seven water reclamation plants (WRPs) do not produce nor use PFAS but are passive receivers of these chemicals discharged to local sewers. As a result, wastewater can contain trace amounts of these chemicals from industrial, commercial and household sources. The MWRD’s WRPs were not designed to remove these chemicals during the treatment process.
The key to pollution prevention is addressing the source of PFAS.
The MWRD is closely following and proceeding based on the developing science on the potential impacts of PFAS. The MWRD is also working to identify and reduce industrial discharges of PFAS, learning how the discharge from these sources can be reduced and encouraging federal and state regulators to focus on stopping these chemicals at the source. The MWRD’s pretreatment program regulates industrial discharges to protect the treatment process and valuable resources the MWRD recovers.
Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Dispose of your household chemicals responsibly and recycle your old computers.
The public may drop them off at the City of Chicago's permanent Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility at 1150 N. North Branch Street (two blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway at Division Street).
Household chemicals and computers often contain hazardous substances, such as lead, mercury, and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which can contaminate our air, soil, and water. Through proper disposal methods or recycling, these hazardous substances are reprocessed and reused in an environmentally-responsible manner.
The Household Chemical and Computer Recycling Facility accepts a range of items, including household cleaners, oil-based paints, solvents, cell phones, compact fluorescent light bulbs, computers, and related equipment, to name a few. It does not accept business/commercial sector wastes, explosives, fireworks or latex paint.
During business hours, an attendant will help unload your vehicle and accept your materials. Materials should not be left outside the facility unattended. Scheduled business hours are:
- Tuesdays 7 am - Noon
- Thursdays 2 pm - 7 pm
- The first Saturday of every month 8 am - 3 pm
Doing Business with the MWRD
New! Watch a video on how to submit a responsive bid or proposal!
The MWRD procures materials and services required for operations in compliance with the Purchasing Act. The mission of the Diversity Section is to ensure that minority-owned (MBE), women-owned (WBE), small (SBE), and veteran-owned (VBE) business enterprises are given equal opportunities to participate in the performance of the MWRD’s construction program and professional service contracts over $100,000.
Our procurement process is designed to ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars, so we encourage you to register to become a vendor. Sign up for a weekly email listing new contract announcements by emailing forea@mwrd.org.
Please report waterway blockages, illegal or suspicious dumping to waterways or sewers, or odors.
Call 800-332-DUMP (3867) or in Spanish 855-323-4801
Tips to prepare your home for excess rainwater
Read our "Green Neighbor Guide"
It's not too early to start planning for the Spring!
Start a list of relatively easy projects that can you can do in the Spring to make your home more resilient to stormwater.
Some actions can be as simple as not over-fertilizing your lawn and garden, installing a rain barrel or planting a native tree. No matter what you choose, the MWRD "Green Neighbor Guide" focuses on stormwater management projects that you can install on your property.
Detailed instructions are offered for disconnecting downspouts; installing rain barrels or cisterns to capture stormwater for reuse; installing dry wells and rain gardens to allow stormwater to filter into the ground; and replacing asphalt and concrete surfaces with permeable paving to reduce stormwater runoff.
2025 Rain Barrel discounts available now
For a limited time, MWRD rain barrels are available to residents of Cook County at a discounted price of $21.50 and $10.75 for seniors 65 and older. Limit two per residence.
Rain barrels capture rainwater from your roof and save it for later use. Rain barrels can help prevent basement backups, street flooding and sewer overflows by keeping rainwater out of the sewer system.
You can use rain barrel water to water your lawn or garden and clean your work boots, tools and bikes.
Rain barrels can hold up to 55 gallons. The overflow opening lets you connect a hose to direct overflow away from your foundation or to connect several rain barrels. Our rain barrels:
- Are made from durable high-density polyethylene.
- Come in four colors (black, blue, terra cotta and gray) and may have different shapes depending on the vendor.
- Include instructions, a leaf and mosquito filter screen, a flexible downspout connector, a spigot/tap, and an overflow hose.
- Free delivery.
Tour an MWRD facility
Each year, our seven water reclamation plants process approximately 450 billion gallons of wastewater. With a daily treatment capacity exceeding 2 billion gallons, the MWRD plays a critical role in protecting our region’s water quality. Learn more about the work of the MWRD on our YouTube channel, watch a virtual tour, or schedule a group tour.
Schedule a speaker
MWRD staff are eager to share information about our work and to provide residents of all ages with information and resources they can use to help reduce flooding and improve water quality.
We offer in-person and virtual presentations about our work and areas of responsibility. Our presentations include subjects such as:
- Overview of the MWRD
- Careers in water
- History of water in the Chicago region, including reversing the Chicago River
- How sewers work
- The Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, also known as the Deep Tunnel
- How wastewater treatment works
- Recovering resources from wastewater
- Stormwater management flood control
- Green infrastructure
- What you can do to protect water quality and reduce flooding
Contact us to schedule a speaker for your group or class. Please submit requests at least three weeks in advance.
Request a community event representative
The MWRD actively engages with communities across Cook County throughout the year, participating in events such as back-to-school fairs, environmental expos, farmers markets, municipal gatherings, career days, and STEM-related activities. Our representatives provide engaging materials and interactive activities designed for all ages, offering insights into our work, areas of responsibility, and practical tips on how to enhance local water quality.
Extras
Historical Photo of the Month
A view of Municipal Pier, now Navy Pier, from Lake Michigan on April 9, 1920
February 2025 Calendar
Clouds cast shadows on Lake Michigan on a crisp winter day.
