MWRD President Kari K. Steele (center) and the MWRD Diversity Section welcomed visitors to the 2024 Diverse Business Summit at Malcolm X College on September 6.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) reinforced its commitment to protecting the region's water environment and educating businesses on how to work with the MWRD by hosting its annual Diverse Business Summit at Malcolm X College in Chicago on September 6. This free event highlighted the vital collaboration needed to safeguard our water resources, bringing together diverse businesses and industry leaders to foster partnerships and innovation.

At the Summit, MWRD leadership and staff emphasized the importance of working collectively with the business community to ensure the sustainability of the region's water systems, showcasing opportunities for diverse businesses to play a pivotal role in this critical mission.

Promoting inclusion, representation and opportunity, this event encouraged entrepreneurs, professionals, industry experts and area leaders to learn more about contract and certification opportunities with the MWRD. 

There were panel discussions, workshops and matchmaking sessions to allow subcontractors to network and meet with prime contractors, MWRD leadership and other local agencies. Dozens of MWRD staff and commissioners were in attendance to meet with potential contractors and guide them through the process of participating in MWRD contracts and business opportunities.

“The Diverse Business Summit presented opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals to tap into the MWRD business landscape that works to protect our region’s water environment,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “This is no small feat. It takes a commitment of skilled people dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout Cook County, and we are grateful to everyone’s participation to bring this collaboration to the forefront at the MWRD’s annual Diverse Business Summit.”

Now in the fourth year of an ambitious five-year Strategic Plan, the MWRD continues its vision of resource recovery, sustainability, resilience, and innovation by addressing goals in resource management, stormwater management, workforce excellence, community engagement and enterprise resilience. All aspects of the Strategic Plan focus on diversity, equity and inclusion to guide engagement with all communities across Cook County. The MWRD tracks its work in meeting these goals through a new Strategic Plan dashboard.

A leader in diversity, equity and inclusion, the MWRD was one of the first local agencies to implement an affirmative action ordinance, dating back to 1978, striving to ensure fair business practices and contracting opportunities for all. The MWRD Board of Commissioners revised its Affirmative Action Ordinance in 2022 to improve and streamline its verification procedures and certification process to better accommodate potential business opportunities. The summit placed a special emphasis on the many minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, disabled-owned, and LGBTQ-owned businesses in Cook County.  

“We have a long history of providing a fair, inclusive and transparent process to promote diversity in our mission of protecting water quality and addressing stormwater management,” said MWRD Chairman of Finance Marcelino Garcia. “Through our Diverse Business Summit, the MWRD works to ensure competitive and equal opportunities for all business enterprises in the award and performance of MWRD contracts.” 

Operating a $1.4-billion budget in 2024, the MWRD serves 5.19 million residents living in Chicago and 128 surrounding communities. The MWRD transforms about 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater into clean water at its seven water reclamation plants each day, protects local water quality in Lake Michigan and area waterways, and mitigates flooding through a robust stormwater management program. The MWRD owns and operates the world-renowned Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), keeps 76 miles of waterways healthy and navigable, owns and operates 33 stormwater detention reservoirs to provide regional flood protection and invests each year in dozens of local stormwater management projects, partnerships and initiatives. The MWRD can provide this range of services because it maintains a stable financial outlook with an AAA credit rating from Fitch Ratings, an AA+ rating from S&P Global and an Aa1 credit rating from Moody’s Investor Services.  

Hundreds of professionals, entrepreneurs and water industry experts joined the MWRD at its annual Diverse Business Summit designed to encourage collaboration and opportunity for businesses to participate in the MWRD’s work to protect the water environment.