In the Midwest, wetlands are a vital nature-based remedy for water management, serving as enormous sponges by absorbing rainfall, slowing runoff and reducing pressure on sewer systems during intense storms.

Board meetings are open to the public and can be streamed online.

Board meetings are open to the public and can be streamed online.

Flynn reflected on the resilience of Irish immigrants who fled famine and found new beginnings in Chicago. She drew a direct connection between the Irish laborers who helped build the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal more than a century ago and the ongoing mission of the MWRD to safeguard public health and protect the region’s water environment.

The MWRD is committed to building what the UN calls “future-ready sanitation.” For us, this means more than maintaining pipes and plants, it means maintaining and designing systems that are resilient.

His expertise and dedication have been instrumental in advancing the MWRD’s mission to protect the region’s water environment and facilitate stormwater management initiatives.

Emulated around the world and known famously as the Chicago region’s “Deep Tunnel,” TARP reduces flooding, improves water quality in Chicago area waterways and protects Lake Michigan from pollution caused by sewer overflows. 

In addition to providing healthier, safer and more inspiring outdoor spaces for students, these projects will help manage stormwater in neighborhoods that face frequent flooding.

These reaffirmations underscore the rating agencies’ ongoing confidence in the MWRD’s financial management, operational stability and commitment to maintaining long-term fiscal responsibility while protecting the region’s water environment.

“Case for Open-Source Process Control Algorithms in Wastewater Treatment to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Call to Academia for Climate Action” was recently published in the Environmental Science & Technology Journal.