The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) seeks a visionary chief executive, committed to accomplishing our core mission of wastewater treatment and stormwater management while making progress on a forward-looking “utility of the future” agenda that includes measurable goals for resource recovery, reducing energy consumption, and use of green infrastructure. The MWRD’s new Executive Director will be an inspiring leader, respected manager, and must have a transformative vision that can guide the MWRD’s operations and development for many years to come.

History of the MWRD

The MWRD is a special-purpose unit of local government. The MWRD was originally organized as the Sanitary District of Chicago in 1889 under an act of the Illinois General Assembly which has been modified from time to time to increase the MWRD’s authority and jurisdiction. The enabling act in 1889 was in direct response to a long-standing problem with contamination of the water supply and nuisance conditions of the rivers. The MWRD reversed the flow of the Chicago and Calumet River Systems to stop the discharge of sewage to Lake Michigan and, instead, discharge it to the Des Plaines River, where it could be diluted as it flowed into the Illinois River and eventually the Mississippi River. Prior to the MWRD’s construction of a 76.1 mile system of canals and waterway improvements, the Chicago and Calumet River Systems were tributary to Lake Michigan. These river systems are now tributary to the Illinois River system.

Mission and Responsibilities

The mission of the MWRD is to protect the health and safety of the public in its service area, protect the quality of the water supply source (Lake Michigan), improve the quality of water in watercourses in its service area, protect businesses and homes from flood damages, and manage water as a vital resource for its service area.

Services, Facilities and Budget

The MWRD provides wastewater treatment for an equivalent population of 12.72 million people: 5.19 million real people, a commercial and industrial equivalent of 5.29 million people, and a combined sewer overflow equivalent of 2.24 million people. The MWRD serves an 882.1 square mile area which includes the City of Chicago and 128 suburban communities. The MWRD also has stormwater management responsibilities for Cook County in its entirety, including areas outside of the MWRD’s corporate boundaries for wastewater services.

The MWRD is the largest wastewater agency in the United States, treats wastewater at a cost lower than any other large urban area and does so while meeting all effluent standards mandated by its NPDES permits 99.9% of the time.

The MWRD owns and operates one of the world’s largest water reclamation plants, in addition to six other plants and 23 pumping stations. The MWRD treats an average of 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater each day. The MWRD’s total wastewater treatment capacity is over 2.0 billion gallons per day.

The MWRD’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) is one of the country’s largest public works projects for pollution and flood control. Four tunnel systems total 110 miles of tunnels, 8 to 33 feet in diameter and 150 to 300 feet underground. Three major reservoirs are in operation with construction still in progress to expand the McCook Reservoir to make it the largest of its kind in the world.

The MWRD controls 76.1 miles of navigable waterways, which are part of the inland waterway system connecting the Great Lakes with the Gulf of Mexico. It also owns and operates 34 stormwater detention reservoirs to reduce regional stormwater damage.

The MWRD owns considerable land assets in both Cook, Will, DuPage and Fulton County, Illinois. Leases of these landholdings not utilized for Corporate purposes yield annual revenues of over $31.5 million, and approximately 80 percent of the leased land is held by other governmental agencies at nominal fee for the purpose of enhancing public access to parks, hiking and biking trails and passive recreational use along the waterways.

The MWRD’s 2025 tax levy is $709,708,434 and total 2025 appropriation is $1,694,607,674.

Governance

The MWRD is governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners. Commissioners are elected at large. Three Commissioners are elected every two years for six-year terms. Biannually, the Board elects from its membership a President, Vice President, and Chairman of the Committee on Finance.

Organizational Structure

The Executive Director, who reports directly to the Board, manages the MWRD’s day-to-day operations. Eight appointed department heads report to the Executive Director. General Administration, which includes the Administrative Services Division, Environmental Justice Section, Diversity and Contract Compliance Section, and Public Affairs Section, are also units reporting directly to the Executive Director. The Treasurer of the MWRD, its chief financial officer, is appointed by and reports directly to the Board.

The Executive Director is the chief administrative officer of the MWRD and is responsible for all administrative and operational matters of the MWRD, including the policies adopted by the Board of Commissioners, the duties of all employees which are not otherwise designated by law, and is the appointing authority as specified in 70 ILCS 2605/4.11.

• Provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction regarding water resources management in the greater Chicago area.
• Proactively manages the business of the MWRD by providing sound financial, administrative, and human resources leadership.
• Initiates, coordinates and oversees strategic alliances with external partners, local communities, governmental agencies and the media in pursuing the mission of the MWRD.
• Establishes and maintains an open, respectful and consultative relationship with the Board of Commissioners regarding formulation and execution of policy matters.
• Responsible for working with a high-level management team who represents eight departments, including engineering design and construction, maintenance and operations, environmental monitoring and research, finance, law, information technology, procurement and materials management, and human resources.
• Develops an annual budget for approval by the Board of Commissioners.

Climate Change

The MWRD recognizes climate change as a significant threat, with rising temperatures and increased flooding potentially disrupting their essential services. To address this, the MWRD has adopted a Climate Action Plan (CAP) aiming to reduce its carbon footprint and mitigate the impacts of climate change. The CAP outlines a roadmap for the MWRD to take various steps to lower its carbon footprint over the first half of the 21st century. The MWRD is also working to manage stormwater more effectively to reduce flooding and protect water quality.

Water Quality and Regulatory Issues

Citizen’s demands for cleaner air and water continue to focus the attention of legislators and regulatory bodies on stricter air, water and pollution standards. One of the key challenges moving forward will be addressing concerns over emerging contaminants known as “forever chemicals” such as Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are found in various products and can contaminate water sources. The MWRD continues to be an industry leader seeking innovative ways to address these and other water quality challenges.

Stormwater Management

The MWRD owns large intercepting sewers that receive wastewater from local systems, while individual municipalities own and operate their local sewer systems. This requires close collaboration and partnership between the MWRD and impacted communities to implement stormwater solutions and alleviate local flooding. The MWRD has identified disproportionately impacted areas (DIAs) that may be more susceptible to flooding and is working to eliminate barriers to participation in stormwater projects. The MWRD is committed to environmental justice, fair treatment, and meaningful involvement of the communities it serves.

Other Challenges

The MWRD faces challenges related to managing its vast infrastructure, including the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) (also known as the “Deep Tunnel”). The MWRD is in the midst of a major infrastructure program designed to replace and modernize its wastewater treatment plants and maintain treatment capacity. Many of these projects will replace infrastructure and processes over 80 years old.