MWRD FLOW - January 2025
In this edition:
Upcoming Events
MWRD Board of Commissioners January meetings
Thursday, January 9 and 23, 10:30 a.m.
The MWRD Board of Commissioners will hold its Regular Board Meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 9 and Thursday, January 23.
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 Wednesday, January 15 at 2 p.m.
Embark on a captivating virtual tour with the MWRD.
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.
Monitoring and Research Monthly Seminar set for Friday, January 31 at 10:30 a.m.
“Working at the Bottom of the Water Industry”
On Friday, January 31 at 10:30 a.m., Coby Forth, Wastewater Operator, Fox River Water Reclamation District, South Elgin, Illinois, will give a presentation titled “Working at the Bottom of the Water Industry.” Coby will explain the challenges of accessing then operating in the harsh remote continent of Antarctica where he coped with the isolation, a new environment and a change of lifestyle.
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.
Latest News
Four Commissioners installed on MWRD Board
Four commissioners were installed to lead the MWRD in preserving the agency’s 135-year history in promoting sustainability and protecting the region’s water environment, while also addressing emerging regulatory challenges, climate change and reducing energy demands.
President Kari K. Steele, Chairman of Finance Marcelino Garcia, Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis and newcomer Commissioner Sharon Waller were installed during a swearing-in ceremony for the MWRD’s Board of Commissioners on Dec. 3 at the MWRD Barbara J. McGowan Main Office Building, 100 E. Erie St., Chicago, IL. Read more.
MWRD commissioners are responsible for providing financial oversight and establishing policies and procedures which meet the MWRD’s objective of protecting the water environment for more than 5.19 million people living in Chicago and 128 suburban municipalities spread throughout Cook County
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch introduced MWRD President Kari K. Steele before she was sworn in by Illinois Supreme Court Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr.
Chairman Garcia was introduced by Chicago 36th Ward Ald. Gilbert Villegas and sworn in by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Megan Goldish. Commissioner Waller was introduced by Dr. Cindy Skrukrud, former clean water advocate for the Illinois Chapter of the Sierra Club, and was sworn in by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Carolyn J. Gallagher. Commissioner Brady-Davis was introduced by Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker appoints Beth McElroy Kirkwood to fill vacant MWRD seat
On Dec. 10, Gov. JB Pritzker appointed Beth McElroy Kirkwood to fill a vacant seat on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners. McElroy Kirkwood succeeds Mariyana Spyropoulos, who stepped down in November after 15 years of service to assume her new role as the elected clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court.
Commissioner McElroy Kirkwood brings over a decade of public service experience to the Board, having served as Orland Township committeeperson since 2021 and worked across multiple village departments for Orland Park. In her hometown, she has served on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Open Lands Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Her extensive background in municipal operations and community service positions will allow her to contribute meaningfully to the MWRD’s mission of treating wastewater, managing stormwater and protecting Chicago-area waterways.
MWRD Board of Commissioners enacts fiscally responsible budget to safeguard water environment in 2025
The MWRD Board of Commissioners formally adopted a fiscally responsible $1.7 billion budget on Dec. 19 to continue the MWRD’s critical work treating the region’s wastewater, managing stormwater and protecting the water environment for 5.19 million people living throughout Cook County.
The budget is supported by a total tax levy of $709.7 million that affords the MWRD the resources to treat wastewater for homes and businesses in Chicago and 128 surrounding municipalities and serve as the regional stormwater authority for Cook County. The budget aligns with the goals, strategies and initiatives outlined in the MWRD’s five-year Strategic Plan that values excellence, respect, innovation, safety, equity and diversity, and accountability.
MWRD wins two national awards for website design
The MWRD won two awards from the National Association of Government Web Professionals (NAGWP) which highlight outstanding achievements and innovation in transforming government services. These awards celebrate excellence in digital government innovation. NAGWP recognized the MWRD website with the City/County Custom Website Group category and with the Members Choice award.
MWRD Environmental Justice staff featured at seminar
The MWRD’s November 2024 Monitoring and Research seminar featured Lolita Thompson, Principal Civil Engineer, and Ed Coleman, Human Resources Manager from the MWRD's Environmental Justice Section. In this insightful session, they discussed "Environmental Justice at the MWRD," highlighting the agency's efforts and initiatives to promote equity and sustainability in their operations.
The MWRD is committed to incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) principals in all decision making, planning, policy making, programs and activities, and in the execution of administrative processes. DEIJ requires continuous introspection, commitment, and the development and implementation of policies that lead to effective actions yielding measurable results.
New climate tech patent enables faster reduction of total dissolved solids in wastewater
Gross-Wen Technologies (GWT) and the MWRD jointly announced the approval of patent number US20240343620A1 for improved methods for the removal of total dissolved solids (TDS) in wastewater. The inventors are GWT founders Martin A. Gross and Dr. Zhiyou Wen, Thomas Kunetz (retired) and Principal Environmental Scientist Kuldip Kumar with the MWRD, and Juan Peng with the Iowa State University Research Foundation.
TDS can harm aquatic life, build up in pipes causing corrosion, and affect the efficiency of wastewater treatment processes. The method and technology patented is a renewable energy solution using GWT’s revolving algal biofilm system (RAB™️) for cost-effective and environmentally friendly wastewater treatment. The improvements increase the rate of TDS removal by moving an algal biofilm through wastewater and through a gas. This enhancement enables greater reduction of carbon emissions, recovery of nutrients, and improvements in water quality.
This new patent is of critical impact for the wastewater industry. TDS is an ever-growing concern globally. One persistent challenge for treatment facilities is how to remove TDS from wastewater streams economically and sustainably. While earlier patents prove the RAB system has the capability to remove TDS, the new patent proves it performs this function at a greater rate than other methods.
Utility leaders evaluate budding technologies at MWRD’s Stickney Plant
Utility leaders from throughout the Midwest recently gathered at the MWRD's Stickney Water Reclamation Plant to discuss, evaluate and learn about the latest technology under development to protect taxpayers and the environment while also addressing many emerging industry challenges.
The Isle Utilities Midwest Technology Approval Group’s (TAG) conference brought together water and wastewater plant managers and leaders from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Green Bay, Louisville, Milwaukee, and Chicago. They shared the latest innovations they are each implementing at their facilities, while also hearing from several companies presenting on their latest technologies utilized at similar utilities throughout the world. The meetings, which took place over two days, underscored the many challenges facing the industry but also the collective drive and peer-to-peer collaboration developed to share and exchange information to protect Midwest water resources and the planet.
Based out of the U.K., Isle launched a North American division in 2012. Since then, Isle has worked with more than 100 utility partners confronting new challenges that range from aging infrastructure and the impacts of climate change on water quality, to adapting to a changing workforce and meeting stringent regulatory requirements.
Applications being accepted for MWRD stormwater management partnership projects
Community leaders with projects in mind that can enhance public spaces and improve stormwater management infrastructure are urged to apply to the MWRD.
Applications are being accepted through early 2025 for a range of stormwater management projects that includes green infrastructure installations, flood-prone property acquisitions, and larger stormwater management projects that are both conceptual and shovel ready.
Read more about the program.
The MWRD partnerships cover a variety of stormwater management strategies and technical assistance opportunities through the following programs:
- Stormwater Partnership Program helps fund the construction of traditional engineering solutions to flooding such as detention basins, storm sewer improvements, and stream channel improvements.
- Green Infrastructure Partnership Program helps fund the construction of green alleys, rain gardens, permeable paving, and other natural, permeable systems that manage rainwater where it falls.
- Conceptual Project Partnerships are available to local government organizations requiring assistance developing stormwater solutions, coordinating stormwater mitigation efforts, and identifying state and federal grant opportunities.
- Voluntary Flood-Prone Property Acquisition Program provides funding to help municipalities acquire properties in the flood plain and give homeowners the opportunity for a fresh start.
In the last decade, since receiving authority to partner on local projects, the MWRD has approximately 250 active or completed stormwater management projects throughout Cook County working to protect nearly 19,000 homes, businesses and other structures. These partnership projects range from huge flood mitigation reservoirs to smaller scale neighborhood green infrastructure projects. These projects represent an investment of more than $533 million from the MWRD. Read the press release.
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 the management of road salt.
Road salt can provide safety, but it also has unwanted ramifications for the local 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.
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.
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
Prepare your Rain Barrel for winter
Protect your rain barrel in the face of chilly winds and changing temperatures and be ready to utilize spring rains for your garden, flowers, and lawn!
Disconnect and Clean
Empty the rain barrel completely to avoid cracks and leaks caused by freezing water as it expands. Even a small amount of ice can lead to a cracked rain barrel. Unhook hoses, the spigot, and downspouts to prevent damage. Apply olive oil to the spigot’s ball valve. To prevent melted snow from getting into the barrel during freeze-thaw cycles, reattach the section of downspout that was cut off during installation if you still have it. Make sure the water flows away from both your foundation and your neighbor’s property. If you don’t have this part anymore, you might want to install a downspout diverter designed for winter use. Clean the barrel to remove dirt or leaves that could block it. Ensure the lid and screen are securely closed.
Store and Protect
Think about putting the barrel in a basement, garage, or under a deck. If you choose to store it outside, either flip it upside down or on its side to stop water from getting in. If the barrel is on the ground, raise it a bit to prevent it from freezing to the surface. Make sure the barrel is firmly secured as strong winds might make an empty rain barrel roll away. You can add an extra layer of protection against the cold by wrapping your barrel with insulating material or bubble wrap.
Plan for Spring
During winter, check the barrel from time to time for any cracks, leaks, or problems. If you find any issues, fix them quickly to avoid more damage. When winter is almost over and the chance of frost is gone, reconnect the rain barrel and get it ready for the upcoming rainy season.
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
The Wrigley building is seen from the south shore of the Chicago River on June 13, 1922.
January 2025 Calendar
The winter morning sun rises over Lake Michigan and a lakefront path off Solidarity Drive by the Adler Planetarium.
