After more than a decade and a half of service to protect taxpayers, public health and the region’s water environment, Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos said farewell to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD). 

The MWRD Board of Commissioners presented Commissioner Spyropoulos with a resolution at her last meeting on Nov. 21. Commissioner Spyropoulos, known for her leadership and long tenure, played a key role in advancing environmental initiatives, modernizing water infrastructure and policies with an evolving understanding of the effects of climate change. As the longest tenured commissioner, her departure marks the end of an era for the MWRD as the organization prepares for new leadership, continued innovation and reliable service in protecting the environment.

“Thank you to Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos for her unwavering support and dedication to the MWRD and the 5.19 million people we serve,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “We appreciate her blazing a trail for me in the president’s office and her diligence, collaboration and stewardship in governing both a healthy water environment and a healthy fiscal outlook for our agency. We wish her all the best leading Cook County in her new post as Cook County Circuit Clerk."

Commissioner Spyropoulos, first appointed in 2009, was elected in 2010, 2016, and 2022 and served both as chairman of finance from 2013 to 2015 and president of the Board of Commissioners from 2015 to 2019. She leaves the MWRD following her election to serve as the next clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

During her service to the MWRD, Commissioner Spyropoulos championed fiscal responsibility, transparency and an environmentally progressive policy for the MWRD. She was instrumental in introducing an inspector general, broadcasting Board meetings and developing an app for residents to report water pollution. For her efforts, she was presented many awards, including the 2017 Illinois Water Environment Association Public Service Award, the 2021 Public Officials Award from the Water Environment Federation and the 2022 Alumni Public Service Award from the University of Illinois at Chicago Law School.

“I thank the residents for giving me the honor of serving the MWRD Board of Commissioners since 2009. During this incredible period, I have enjoyed the opportunity to put our health and environment first and strengthen the communities we call home,” said Commissioner Spyropoulos. “I thank the commissioners and MWRD staff for their partnership in meeting our mission each day, equipping this agency for future generations to come.”

The MWRD Board of Commissioners announced at their meeting that the MWRD planned to rename the UV disinfection facility at its O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant in Skokie after Commissioner Spyropoulos in honor of her many years of service to the MWRD.

The MWRD, responsible for treating wastewater for Chicago and 128 surrounding suburban municipalities, and managing stormwater for all of Cook County, is governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners. As a policy-making entity, the Board of Commissioners is responsible for providing financial oversight and establishing policies and procedures which meet the MWRD’s objective of protecting the water environment for the citizens of Cook County. A day before the commissioner’s final meeting, Fitch Ratings announced that the MWRD had been assigned AAA ratings and a stable financial outlook.