The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for Battery E, a nearly $400 million addition to the Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant in Skokie that will strip phosphorus from wastewater before it reaches local waterways. The new battery, the fifth at the 97-acre facility at 3500 Howard St., will use a biological process to remove the nutrient rather than relying solely on chemical treatment, protecting downstream water quality and meeting stringent new requirements.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago on Thursday held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new system at the O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant in Skokie. The district is set to build what will be known as Battery E — a nearly $400 million investment with new tanks and other infrastructure and equipment.

For The Love of Water (FLOW) is a summary of news from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

The MWRD will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the Battery E project at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8. As the O’Brien WRP approaches its 100th anniversary in 2028, the project will address aging infrastructure while helping the MWRD meet increasingly stringent water quality requirements.

The Chicago River is now flourishing despite decades of industrial pollution, thanks to an environmental movement and engineering.

MWRD President Kari K. Steele and Friends of the Chicago River Executive Director Margaret Frisbie share their perspectives on this vital waterway.

The public is asked to delay shower times, wait to wash clothes, and avoid running the dishwasher due to heavy rains.