Commemorating America’s Semiquincentennial, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) launched a special tree planting initiative that honored the nation’s 250th anniversary while advancing the MWRD’s commitment to environmental stewardship. As part of this effort, the MWRD will plant 250 trees on MWRD property throughout 2026.

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

The Blessing of the Waters, celebrating its 20th year, will be held on Sunday, June 28, at 3 p.m., along the Cal-Sag Channel at the MWRD waterfall, located in Blue Island at Fulton and Chatham streets.

The MWRD has released an online portal to document and map stormwater management storage progress

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has recognized the MWRD with six Platinum 5 Peak Performance Awards for meeting at least five consecutive years of 100 percent compliance in meeting National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has been working around the clock to capture billions of gallons of stormwater that have fallen across Cook County during recent storm events.