Featured image: Bellwood Trustee M.C. Robinson, Bellwood Clerk Janel Moreland, MWRD President Kari Steele, Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey and Bellwood Trustees Michael J. Ciavattone and Ronald Nightengale during the groundbreaking for the Addison Creek Reservoir projects on Wednesday. | Shanel Romain

“Officials Break Ground On Addison Creek Reservoir Projects In Bellwood,” Village Free Press
Summary: Officials with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), the village of Bellwood, Cook County and other government bodies and agencies gathered on April 24 for a groundbreaking ceremony on the site of the future Addison Creek Reservoir at 2795 Washington Blvd. in Bellwood. MWRD officials said the $63.3 million, 600-acre-foot reservoir will be able to store close to 200 million gallons of water and connect with the Addison Creek Channel, which is scheduled to undergo a range of improvements as part of the upcoming construction. A pumping station, spillway and control structure will be built on the site of the reservoir while the channel improvements include vegetation clearing, the removal of three bridges and the installation of soldier pile walls, among others. The reservoir construction and various Addison Creek Channel improvements will provide flood control benefits for communities along Addison Creek, including Bellwood, Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Westchester and Broadview.

Government officials hold shovels during Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony in Bellwood. | Shanel Romain

The two projects are estimated to reduce flooding for around 2,200 structures and to remove an estimated 1,700 structures from the flood plain, officials said.“This is an exciting day for our community partners along Addison Creek searching for an answer to over-bank flooding,” MWRD President Kari K. Steele said. “This is a monumental event not only for Bellwood but for all of the communities that it will benefit,” said Bellwood Mayor Andre Harvey. “The improved quality of life for our residents is immeasurable.” MWRD officials said that the reservoir construction project will create 633 construction jobs and operate in compliance with the MWRD’s Affirmative Action Ordinance. The construction project also entails a “multi-project labor agreement,” MWRD officials said, adding that the agreement will give employment opportunities to tradespeople such as ironworkers, operating engineers, truck drivers and electricians. The construction project was partially funded through a $5 million grant administered by Cook County and funded by the federal government. “Cook County’s investment in this vital project will improve the lives of thousands of residents,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle explained in a statement.
https://thevillagefreepress.org/2019/04/24/officials-break-ground-on-addison-creek-reservoir-projects-in-bellwood/

“Ground Broken On West Suburban Reservoir,” WBBM Newsradio

Summary: Residents in Northlake, Westchester, Broadview, Stone Park, Bellwood and Melrose Park know all too well what it’s like to have water in their basement after a heavy rain. On Wednesday, officials broke ground at a site on Washington Boulevard near 25th Avenue in Bellwood. It will become a 600-acre reservoir designed to help prevent flooding for thousands of structures near Addison Creek. The $63 million project of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is expected to be completed by early 2022.
https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/ground-broken-west-suburban-reservoir?fbclid=IwAR3Be-G7R6HkERbIQkOz59CNli6bD0Jds1f41QQlUGXzaXheSqWlk_F72pM

https://chicago.suntimes.com/opinion/lincoln-yards-the-78-chicago-development-chicago-city-council-mayor-elect-lori-lightfoot/

“Costs rise for Arlington Hts. project, but grant will cover half,” Daily Herald
Summary: A downtown Arlington Heights sewer upgrade planned for this summer will cost more than expected as the project scope has expanded, but the village has been awarded funds that will pay for half of it. The $3.6 million stormwater control project includes installation of larger sewers in the downtown, aimed at providing relief from basement backups to some 250 homes in an area bounded by Ridge Avenue, Wing Street, Arlington Heights Road and George Street. Officials say it also will help prevent street and structure flooding on Campbell Street west of Vail Avenue. Original cost estimates -- based on a 2015 flood study -- put the project at $2.7 million. But during the project's design phase, village officials added some changes "in order to do it right," said Village Manager Randy Recklaus. That put the estimate closer to $3.4 million, and after receiving bids earlier this month, the village board Monday night awarded the low bid to Elgin-based Martam Construction for $3.6 million. Some of the additional expenses include costs for inflation since the 2015 study estimate ($290,000), replacing and upsizing existing combined sewers ($140,000), and relocating and reconfiguring water mains in some areas because of the sewer size and depth. Village Engineer Mike Pagones said the original rough estimates weren't based on plans or a detailed survey, but on general sewer modeling done by flood study consultant CDM Smith. The board Monday also inked an intergovernmental agreement with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for a $1.8 million grant, which will cover half the project's cost. The water district's board will vote on the agreement May 2. The village is paying its portion with proceeds from a $9.9 million bond issue authorized last year and reserves.
https://www.dailyherald.com/news/20190416/costs-rise-for-arlington-hts-project-but-grant-will-cover-half?fbclid=IwAR2aCq1xGL_ogD4qGARfxb5BmD3cONWahmAYBt3Ru3-mVXsRd6V23FnVy24

MWRD participates in 25^th Annual Black Women’s Expo
Vice President Barbara McGowan and Commissioner Marcelino Garcia worked the MWRD’s booth at the 25th annual Black Women's Expo at McCormick Place with Administrative Clerk Meisha Searcy from the Diversity Department. The annual expo is held to create a forum for women to celebrate their aspirations and achievements and to discuss and explore solutions to the issues they confront in their daily lives.

MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan and Diversity Department Administrative Clerk Meisha Searcy at the 2019 Black Women's Expo held at McCormick Place, Chicago

MWRD Commissioner Marcelino Garcia and Diversity Department Administrative Clerk Meisha Searcy at the 2019 Black Women's Expo held at McCormick Place, Chicago

“Freight traffic, flooding to be studied in Southland areas,” Daily Southtown
Summary: County and flooding and economic development in Ford Heights will be some of the issues the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning will study in helping develop comprehensive plans for those areas, the agency recently announced. As part of CMAP’s Local Technical Assistance program, the agency will work with officials in Will County on a comprehensive transportation and land use plan that county officials hope will result in more coordinated transportation and land-use policies as the region grapples with increased heavy truck traffic, according to the county’s application. In Ford Heights, the agency will work with officials there on a comprehensive plan that they hope will address issues facing the south suburbs, such as lack of economic development, distressed infrastructure, flooding and blighted neighborhoods, according to the community’s application with CMAP. Will County and Ford Heights are among 17 Local Technical Assistance projects recently approved by CMAP. The agency said it has been involved in more than 200 similar projects since 2012. The LTA projects are part of CMAP’s “On to 2050” long-range plan designed to address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, environmental and other quality-of-life issues. Tony Manno, a senior planner with CMAP, said that such comprehensive plans as the agency will undertake could cost as much as $150,000.

Freight traffic in areas of Will County will be studied by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. (Allen Cunningham/Daily Southtown)

Manno said work on both the Will County and Ford Heights comprehensive plans will start at some point after the agency’s new fiscal year begins July 1. In Ford Heights, the agency will build off the work already done by Antero Group, with issues such as economic development, housing, transportation and stormwater flooding being studied, he said. The goal of the plan, which could take as long as two years to develop, is to “give them (Ford Heights officials) a roadmap to prosper over the next 15 to 20 years,” he said. “It will be a fairly intense and long process,” with “a large community outreach component” to gather input from residents, Manno said. The village in its application noted that Ford Heights is “frequently cited as one of the most impoverished communities in Illinois,” but that the village has been able to secure grant funding for a capital improvement plan and is “advancing several large-scale economic development opportunities.” The village also said it is working with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to address issues of flooding along Deer Creek, where storms have resulted in neighborhoods being inundated with water.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-ford-heights-plan-st-0414-story.html

https://www.ilfbpartners.com/farm/ways-rural-and-urban-efforts-are-improving-water-quality/

“EDITORIAL: Splitting up the region’s sanitation board is an idea that stinks,” Chicago Sun-Times

The biosolids train unloads solids conveyed from the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant to lagoons at the Lawndale Avenue Solids Management Area (LASMA) between the Des Plaines River and Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near Bedford Park and Willow Springs, Tuesday afternoon, May 8, 2018. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

By Sun-Times Editorial Board
Just as we’re making progress on cleaning up Chicago area waterways and reducing flooding, a bad idea that could set back all those gains is brewing in Springfield. The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Luis Arroyo, D-Chicago, would split the countywide nine-member governing commission of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District into nine separate districts, each represented by a single elected member chosen by the voters of each district. The proposed legislation passed unanimously out of a House committee two weeks ago on a 10-0 vote and has advanced to a second reading. Someone needs to dam up this bill before it goes any farther. The water district manages er and wastewater throughout Cook County. Both stormwater and wastewater would cross any arbitrary borders created by splitting the district into nine pieces, essentially severing the management of the waterways. It’s easy to see how a commissioner in an upstream district would place little priority on flooding problems downstream in another district. Members representing individual districts would be induced to argue in favor of resources for their own districts instead of focusing on where the worst flooding takes place. Splitting up the district also would make it easier for special interests to influence an election in just two or three districts so they could, for example, push for development in low-lying areas and potentially push flooding problems onto someone else. The bill also calls for each district to elect a commissioner once every six years. That’s a long term for a member of any local government. Under the current structure, voters get to elect three commissioners once every two years. The MWRD board has passed a resolution opposing the idea, and some legislators have said they agree it would be counterproductive. Springfield should listen to them and sink this bill.

“US Army Corps of Engineers 3D-prints Thornton Composite Reservoir,” US Army Corps of Engineers

A 3D-printed model of the Thornton Composite Reservoir in Thornton, Illinois, will be on display this week at the U.S. Society on Dams conference in Chicago. The actual reservoir helps the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago decrease the amount of combined sewer overflows in the Chicagoland area. To see the model being printed, visit
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z26FoZOIKtQ

“IWEA releases new video,” Illinois Water Environment Association
The Illinois Water Environment Association has released a new video, and it features several MWRD employees, including Asst. Director of M&R Tom Kunetz, Principal Civil Engineer Lou Storino, and Senior Engineer Meagan Matias.

https://youtu.be/g-RoIk9l03k
www.iweasite.org.

“4 Illinois communities get $2M for wastewater treatment,” CBS 2
Four wastewater treatment plants in Illinois will receive more than $2 million for energy-saving projects. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced the awards. The money is supplied by the federal Energy Department’s State Energy Program. Topping the list is a $1.5 million grant to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The American Bottoms Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility in St. Clair County will receive $327,600. Fairfield in Wayne County will get $146,700 and there is $131,000 for Annawan in Henry County. The federal grants are matched by $3 million from the local communities. Projects were judged in part on the amount of energy savings predicted from each. Officials estimate the funded projects will save $408,000 annually in energy costs.
https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/04/04/4-illinois-communities-get-2m-for-wastewater-treatment/

“Illinois EPA's Office of Energy Awards Grants for Energy Efficiency Upgrades at Public Wastewater Treatment Plants,” IEPA
Program to Fund Upgrades and Changes for Energy and Cost Savings
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Acting Director John J. Kim has announced that the Agency's Office of Energy has awarded more than $2.1 million in grant funding to four wastewater treatment facilities across Illinois. The grant opportunity was announced in December 2018 as part of the Office of Energy's Wastewater Treatment Plant Energy Efficiency Program. The funded projects will reduce the amount of energy consumed by wastewater treatment operations thereby reducing the energy burden for Illinois residents. "This first cycle of funding will make an impact on the energy consumption at wastewater treatment plants throughout the State," said Acting Director Kim. "The Illinois EPA looks forward to tracking the progress of these projects and using their success to advance the wastewater energy efficiency program." Grant applications were ranked according to multiple factors including the energy savings per dollar funded, the energy rate paid by the applicant facility, and the energy cost to treat one million gallons of wastewater at the applicant facility. A total of $2,105,353 in grant funding will be leveraged by $3,044,901 in matching funds from the grantees. The grantees are:

• American Bottoms Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility (Sauget Sanitary Development & Research Association), St. Clair County - $327,671
• Village of Annawan, Henry County - $130,821
• City of Fairfield, Wayne County - $146,682
• Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Cook County - $1,500,000

The grants will run through May 2020 and will enable grantees to make energy efficiency upgrades to plant equipment identified by previous energy audits, in some cases provided at no-cost by the Office of Energy. These grants will save the grantees 6,610,374 kWhs of energy annually, which amounts to $408,000 annual savings. The funds for the grant program are provided by the United States Department of Energy's State Energy Program. The Illinois EPA's Office of Energy strives to achieve energy equity by investing U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program (SEP) funds in projects across the State that aim to reduce the energy burden for Illinois residents. For more information about Office of Energy programming, including the Wastewater Treatment Plant Energy Efficiency Grant Program, please visit https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/energy/Pages/default.aspx.
https://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/news-item.aspx?ReleaseID=19881

“Lincolnwood increases sales tax rate in effort to fund stormwater improvements,” Pioneer Press
Summary: After some debate about escalating tax rates, Lincolnwood trustees voted unanimously on March 19 to increase the village’s sales tax rate, effective July 1. The 25 percent increase, to 1.25 percent, will bring Lincolnwood in line with four of five neighboring communities. Officials said it is expected to generate $600,000 annually to pay off $6.2 million in bonds for stormwater improvements. The village expects to receive $1.4 million from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to construct an outfall sewer on North Shore Avenue from Drake Avenue to North Shore Channel, Lincolnwood Finance Director Robert Merkel told the board. Lincolnwood plans to fund the remaining cost of the $3.4 million project with $2 million in bonds and to issue another $4.2 million in bonds to pay design costs for the next stage of its stormwater plan, Merkel said. The village surveyed five surrounding communities and determined that only Evanston maintains a 1 percent sales tax, he said. Chicago, Morton Grove, Niles and Skokie each charge 1.25 percent sales tax, Merkel said. Trustee Ronald Cope reminded the Village Board that the total sales tax in Lincolnwood, not just the village’s portion, will rise to 10.25 percent.
Editor’s Note: The MWRD’s contribution, in the form of partial reimbursement funding towards construction of this project, is under negotiation with the Village and is subject to approval by the MWRD Board of Commissioners.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/news/ct-lwr-lincolnwood-sales-tax-tl-0404-story.html

“Senior Forest Preserve Officials Update Elk Grove Village Trustees On Busse Woods; No Timeline Yet On New Elk Arrival,” Journal & Topics

Elk play in their pen near Arlington Heights and Higgins roads in Busse Woods near Elk Grove Village. (Journal file photo)

Cook County Forest Preserve District officials brought Elk Grove Village trustees up to speed on district activities, focusing specifically on Busse Woods. Busse Woods borders a long stretch of Elk Grove Village, along Arlington Heights Road, Cosman Road, Beisner Road and Biesterfield Road. The village has partnered on improvements in Busse Woods including dams and bridges, and considers the elk herd, penned in at Arlington Heights Road and Higgins, as the village mascots. John McCabe, forest preserve director of resource management, was scheduled to make a presentation to Elk Grove Village trustees at their 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 committee of the whole meeting before the main village board meeting. “He’ll highlight the trail and water recreation opportunities on Busse Lake, picnicking, the economic benefits of Busse Woods, the Elk Pen and the dam project,” Forest Preserve Communications Manager Stacina Stagner said. “There is so much in the forest preserves, but we find that many Cook County residents simply don’t know about all our benefits and amenities,” she continued. “To help build awareness, we are meeting with local municipalities, chambers of commerce and civic organizations. To date, the forest preserves has nearly 50 presentations completed or scheduled.” The village partnered with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Cook and DuPage counties along with other agencies to spearhead a project to install flood controls in the spillways of two dams in Lake Busse in 2015 to control flooding.

Water flows through new dam at south end of Busse Woods near Elk Grove Village as part of Salt Creek flood control project.

In September 2017, three of six elk in the herd died. Four new elk from Texas are expected join the herd sometime this spring. Stagner did not have an expected date for that arrival Tuesday. Elk Grove Village also spearheaded a project to build a bridge over Higgins Road, just east of Route 53, near the site where cyclist Rose Waters was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing Higgins, before the bridge was built to improve safety for cyclists. “Our mission is to protect and restore our native habitats while connecting Cook County residents to this incredible resource,” Stagner said in an email.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/senior-forest-preserve-officials-update-elk-grove-village-trustees-on-busse-woods/

“Senior Forest Preserve Officials Update Elk Grove Village Trustees On Busse Woods,” Journal & Topics
Cook County Forest Preserve District officials brought Elk Grove Village trustees up to speed on district activities, focusing specifically on Busse Woods. Busse Woods borders a long stretch of Elk Grove Village, along Arlington Heights Road, Cosman Road, Beisner Road and Biesterfield Road. The village has partnered on improvements in Busse Woods including dams and bridges, and considers the elk herd, penned in at Arlington Heights Road and Higgins, as the village mascots. John McCabe, forest preserve director of resource management, was scheduled to make a presentation to Elk Grove Village trustees at their 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 26 committee of the whole meeting before the main village board meeting. “He’ll highlight the trail and water recreation opportunities on Busse Lake, picnicking, the economic benefits of Busse Woods, the Elk Pen and the dam project,” Forest Preserve Communications Manager Stacina Stagner said. “There is so much in the forest preserves, but we find that many Cook County residents simply don’t know about all our benefits and amenities,” she continued. “To help build awareness, we are meeting with local municipalities, chambers of commerce and civic organizations. To date, the forest preserves has nearly 50 presentations completed or scheduled.” The village partnered with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, Cook and DuPage counties along with other agencies to spearhead a project to install flood controls in the spillways of two dams in Lake Busse in 2015 to control flooding. In September 2017, three of six elk in the herd died. Four new elk from Texas are expected join the herd sometime this spring. Stagner did not have an expected date for that arrival Tuesday. Elk Grove Village also spearheaded a project to build a bridge over Higgins Road, just east of Route 53, near the site where cyclist Rose Waters was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing Higgins, before the bridge was built to improve safety for cyclists. “Our mission is to protect and restore our native habitats while connecting Cook County residents to this incredible resource,” Stagner said in an email.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/senior-forest-preserve-officials-update-elk-grove-village-trustees-on-busse-woods/

“Storm Water Fortress,” Storm Water Solutions
Summary: Improving water quality in area waterways and protecting homes and businesses from flooding are the two missions of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD), and the organization’s latest 3.5-billion-gal engineering accomplishment achieved both. Since coming into service in December 2017, MWRD’s McCook Reservoir Stage I in Bedford Park, Ill., has captured 27.2 billion gal of water from multiple storms and, combined with the adjoining tunnels that feed into the reservoir, the entire McCook system captured 46.1 billion gal in 2018. Without the reservoir and tunnels, the storm water and wastewater combination could have overwhelmed local sewer systems, causing combined sewer overflows (CSOs) that pollute local waterways and flood streets, homes and communities. The final piece of MWRD’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), the McCook Reservoir will maintain the largest footprint. The reservoir serves central Chicago and 36 suburban communities, covering a 252-sq-mile area with a population of 3.1 million people. Stage I provides an estimated $114 million per year in flood reduction benefits, while also capturing untreated water that formerly overflowed into waterways in rainy weather. After storms subside, the polluted water that was captured in the system is pumped to MWRD’s Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (WRP), where it is cleaned before being returned to the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal.

https://www.estormwater.com/storage/storm-water-fortress

“Belly up to the bar and ‘drink like an astronaut,’” Sun Times

Unreconciled Brewing Co. made two styles of beer using effluent water. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times
Summary: The yellow-gold liquid offered in small, clear plastic cups looked like, well, urine. In a way, it was. The brew that drew thoughtful nods and pleasantly surprised smiles Friday in a converted West Town factory started out a few months ago as the stuff that gets flushed down Chicago toilets. “The best way to celebrate World Water Day is to really engage water in new ways. There is no more Chicago way than beer,” said Josina Morita, a commissioner with the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Morita, as part of the second annual World Water Day symposium, helped arrange for Friday’s sampling of the “first effluent beer made in Chicago.”
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/world-water-day-effluent-beer-environment-conservation/?utm_campaign=ChicagoSunTimes&utm_content=1553289626&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

“Midwest Pulse: Construction Project News for March 2019,” Engineering News-Record
Summary: Chicago’s Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is in the predesign phase of a $15-million to $25-million capital improvement program to many of its city-wide facilities. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, 100 E. Erie St., Rm. 508, Chicago. DR#18-00525361.
https://www.enr.com/articles/46516-midwest-pulse-construction-project-news-for-march-2019

“Passion for water and waste management fetches Ellis Island Medal for this Indian-American,” News India Times

Professor Emeritus Prakasam Tata of Naperville, Illinois, who has been awarded the 2019 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and will travel to New York for the May 10 award ceremony.

After a 64-year commitment to water conservation and waste management that will continue into the future, Professor Emeritus Prakasam Tata (pronounced Tha-tha), a resident of Chicagoland, has been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor that recognizes the contributions and good works of immigrants. Tata, a vigorous 83 years old originally from Andhra Pradesh, can regale you with fascinating stories about how he developed his passion for water and waste management, traveled to the most “rural, rural” areas of West Bengal and Maharashtra, became a fluent Bengali speaker loved by locals who named him Prakash Chatterjee embracing him in their community. He arrived in the United States in 1962, for a Ph.D. at Rutgers, and from there to Cornell, finally landing up in Chicago drawn by the water management practices adopted following the 1887 Lake Michigan pollution disaster that resulted in numerous deaths, he says. He recalls he was just 19 when he began his Ph.D. at Nagpur University, only to be interrupted by an invitation to apply for a research assistant position at the All India Institute of Hygiene & Public Health in 1951 in what was then called Calcutta. Professor Frederick Erickson, an American who interviewed Tata at that time, advised him to gain expertise in water and waste management rather than his planned Ph.D. at Nagpur, predicting that it would be the major challenge of the future not just for India but for the world. (The AIIHPH was founded in 1932, the first such institute in all of Southeast Asia). “I didn’t know anything about it, but I wanted to change the world,” Prof. Tata told Desi Talk in a phone interview. “Lo and behold, I got the job!” he exclaims. “And when I told my Nagpur mentor, Professor M.C. Nath, he encouraged me saying it was a fantastic opportunity pointing to how people are dying from diseases as a result of water pollution,” Tata recalls. During his 7 years of working in remote areas in India, Tata lived for long periods of time in a home without electricity or running water, sleeping on the floor, in a village near Singur, West Bengal. After reaching the U.S. in 1962, and getting his Ph.D. from Rutgers, teaching at Cornell University, Tata got an invitation from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) to work in its Research and Development Department and another invitation to teach at the Department of Environmental Engineering Illinois Institute of Technology the subjects of Water and Wastewater Treatment, Biochemical Engineering., etc. He coauthored four books and published more than 150 reports and papers related to Environmental Engineering and Science. In 2002 he retired as the Head of the R & D division and Assistant Director of the R& D Department at MWRDGC, with the intention of doing humanitarian and philanthropic work. During his telephone interview, Prof. Tata, president of a non-profit named Bharathi Theertha, though an Andhra-ite,  breaks into fluent Bengali, speaking like a native at a fast pace, describing his years of dedication with colorful stories about his experiences. Now on May 10th, he will be accompanied by his wife of more than 60 years, to receive his Medal of Honor in a ceremony on Ellis Island, New York, on March 11, along with the likes of another Indian-American, Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN fame. In a letter from the chairman of Ellis Island Medals of Honor, Nasser J. Kazeminy, says, “… your achievements truly inspire and touch the lives of people worldwide….” Every year since he retired 16 years ago, Prof. Tata, visits India in a volunteer capacity as an expert on water and waste management. He recently took a delegation of 25 experts from U.S. to India for the International Conference on Water & Waste Management. And since 1974, he has been making annual visits, for both family and work reasons. He told Desi Talk part of his youthful 83, can be attributed to his daily morning exercise, and his commitment. Professor Tata is the executive director, Center for the Transformation of Waste Technology, in Naperville, Illinois. Among his many engagements, he has organized the World Water Day Celebration to be held March 23, at Naperville.
http://www.newsindiatimes.com/passion-for-water-and-waste-management-fetches-ellis-island-medal-for-this-indian-american

“Will new governor end Illinois’ inertia over Asian carp solution?,” Detroit Public TV
Summary: New Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently took the first step to deal with the decade-old invasive carp issue he inherited. In a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers, Pritzker said he “generally supports implementation” of the Corps’ $778 million plan to stop the carp advance at the Brandon Road Lock, a potential choke point some 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. Under the administration of former Gov. Rick Snyder, Michigan had offered $8 million to help Illinois offset annual maintenance and operating costs of the modified lock system. But Snyder and Rauner could not agree on how the money would be used before both left office in January. One veteran of the Asian carp wars in Illinois wants to help break the institutional inertia that has existed in the state over the issue. Cameron Davis was President Obama’s point-person for Great Lakes issues in 2009 when the carp advance hit a tipping point. That was after environmental DNA was discovered past the electrical barriers designed to keep carp out of Lake Michigan. That revelation alerted the Great Lakes region that it had to do more than rely on electrical barriers. Davis is now a new commissioner for the Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) and in a recent Tweet said he would be asking the agency to be part of the solution. MWRD is a state agency.
https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2019/03/will-new-governor-end-illinois-inertia-over-asian-carp-solution/

“Cmsr. Davis Addresses Concerns About Great Lakes, Trump's 2020 Budget Plan,” WBBM
A commissioner with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and President Obama’s point man on Great Lakes issues is sounding the alarm about the Trump Administration’s 2020 budget plan. Commissioner Cameron Davis wrote in an op-ed piece in the Tribune that the White House’s budget “is supposed to be a statement of our values as a society and country.” But he said it is lacking. He is alarmed that the budget would cut funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative from $300 million to $30 million. Congress has pushed back twice before. “That’s not enough to really even keep the lights on, let alone to help restore these magnificent water bodies that give use drinking water, that provide us with fishing and recreation and quality of life that we have around this region," he said. Davis said the Obama Administration also proposed to cut the budget, too, "so this is not a partisan problem, this is something that happens perennially. Every year is a new adventure when it comes to these programs. You can never take it for granted. And I think what is interesting this time around, is that the Republican controlled Senate has actually recommended an increase in funding." Twice the Trump administration has tried to cut funding and both Republicans and Democrats pushed back. “Because it’s getting results,” he said. “The projects that go on in places like Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and all the way across the New York and Minnesota are projects that get stuff done.” The initiative funds numerous water quality efforts throughout the Great Lakes region. Read Commissioner Cameron Davis' op-ed "The Great Lakes Need Investment If We Want To Maintain Safe Drinking Water."
https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/commissioner-addresses-concerns-trumps-2020-budget

“Commentary: The Great Lakes need investment if we want to maintain safe drinking water,” Chicago Tribune

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune
One of Chicago's Lake Michigan water intake cribs is shown in 2017.

By Cameron Davis
The White House on Monday released its proposed fiscal year 2020 budget for the federal government. It proposed slashing our budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative by 90 percent from $300 million to $30 million. The proposal comes at a time when we should be investing in public health and healthy local economies, not disinvesting. Just because we live, work and play around the largest fresh surface water body on the planet doesn’t mean we can afford to neglect them. If you need proof, just look at what has happened in the past few years in the region. In August 2014, a florescent green mass flowed out of Ohio’s Maumee River and enveloped Canada’s Pelee Island in Lake Erie. The mass of microscopic algae was so plentiful that it could be seen from outer space. And it was so toxic that Toledo’s drinking water supply had to be turned off for a weekend. Not long after, pathogens from livestock manure infected shallow drinking water wells in Kewaunee County, Wis., on Lake Michigan. And in 2000, an e. coli outbreak in Walkerton, Ontario, near Lake Huron, made more than 2,000 people sick and killed seven people. Here in the Chicago metro area, we see every day how our lives depend on Lake Michigan. We see “America’s Lake” when we motor along Lake Shore Drive or go to one of the greatest freshwater beaches in the world. The lake provides drinking water for millions. Less visible: The Great Lakes support tens of thousands of jobs and support a quality of life that’s easily taken for granted. But this magnificent ecosystem that we share with Canada requires an investment if we don’t want to endure a continuing cascade of catastrophes like those mentioned above. The White House’s proposed budget is more than just a list of numbers. It is supposed to be a statement of our values as a society and country. Do we value investments to protect our drinking water? Do we value our relationship with Canada to work together for the Great Lakes? Can we use water to unify communities and neighborhoods that otherwise suffer from disproportionate health threats? “Yes” is the easy answer, of course. The harder answer is “yes, and we in America are going to set aside $360 million in the 2020 fiscal year budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative,” as the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate recently requested. Let’s be clear: Without increasing our Great Lakes investment — and instead cutting it — we’re inviting more toxic algae threats to drinking water. We’re saying it is OK to take longer to clean up our contaminated “areas of concern,” such as Waukegan Harbor and the Grand Calumet River in northwest Indiana, and many of our hardest-hit Upper Midwestern coastal communities. More than 100 years ago, the United States and Canada signed a treaty to voluntarily manage their shared waterways, one of the first times in history two nations came together to beat back pollution that caused thousands of people to get sick from drinking water, and thousands to die here in Chicago alone. As recently as 2012, the two federal governments again came together to protect our health and safety by signing the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement for the cleanup of dozens of toxic hot spots, prevent invasive species such as Asian carp and deal with the flooding in our communities that is happening more frequently. There’s a lot we can do to ensure the integration — not disintegration — of our two countries’ efforts to protect drinking water. Much like our joint oil spill response contingency plan and joint strategic plans for shared Great Lakes fisheries, we must make funding for the Great Lakes and public health protection a priority. Especially now that Canada is establishing a Great Lakes strategy that complements our own work here in the U.S., it falls on Congress to step in and direct investments that reflect the importance we place on water here in our region and with our Canadian friends.
Cameron Davis is a commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. From 2009 to 2017, he was President Barack Obama’s liaison to Congress on Great Lakes issues, and a lead negotiator with the U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of State who helped negotiate the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement with Canada.

“Permeable pavers to replace asphalt on Tinley Park street,” Daily Southtown

Permeable paving blocks will replace asphalt on North Street, shown, in downtown Tinley Park, with the village receiving a $200,000 grant for the work. (Mike Nolan / Daily Southtown)
Summary: The MWRD is finalizing an agreement to provide funding assistance to Tinley Park through the MWRD’s Green Infrastructure program.  Permeable pavers on North Street, between Oak Park Avenue and 173rd Street north of the Oak Park Avenue Metra station, will replace the street’s asphalt surface and greatly reduce stormwater runoff, allowing more than 58,000 gallons of water to slowly percolate into the soil during a storm, according to the district. Tinley Park is one of 19 green infrastructure projects receiving funding from the MWRD, the district announced late last month. Locally, Calumet City, Dolton, Ford Heights, Lansing and Thornton School District 154 also are receiving funds, according to the district. A total of 48 projects had been submitted to the district for funding. The Tinley Park project involves the installing of 13,000 square feet of pavers, according to the district, which are arranged in a fashion to allow water to flow around them and through an aggregate base. At a recent Village Board meeting, trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with the district and also approved a contract for the installation of the pavers and utilities for the planned Harmony Square. The contract with Elwood-based Austin-Tyler Construction is for $1.2 million. The outdoor plaza will front North Street and follows the theme of Tinley Park’s branding initiative focused on live music. The village plans to hold events throughout the year at the plaza, including music performances and outdoor exercise classes.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-tinley-park-street-st-0308-story.html

“MWRD celebrates female African American trailblazers, Chicago Crusader

(Front row, L-R): Dorothy Leavell, Publisher, Chicago Crusader and Board Chairman, Chicago Reader; Katara Washington Patton, Senior Editor, Chicago Defender; Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough and MWRD President Kari K. Steele. (Back row, L-R): MWRD Diversity Administrator Regina Berry, Executive Director Brian Perkovich, Vice President Barbara McGowan, former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) honored the accomplishments of local African American women who have inspired their communities while blazing a trail for future leaders to follow. In observance of African American History Month, MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan and the MWRD’s Diversity Section brought together a group of panelists who gave overviews of progress made in advancing diversity, as well as discussing the challenges and rewards related to their individual achievements.

AUDIENCE MEMBERS HEARD opening remarks from MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan (third from left).

The annual event was February 21 at the MWRD’s headquarters in downtown Chicago. “This annual event provides the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago with an opportunity to recognize and applaud the contributions of many resilient African Americans,” said Vice President Barbara McGowan. “We are happy to honor this talented panel of African American women whose successful leadership in government and media have created a blueprint for others to follow.” Former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun served as mistress of ceremonies for the evening.

(L-R) MWRD Commissioners Marcelino Garcia, Mariyana Spyropoulos and Debra Shore; Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton; U.S. Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun; MWRD President Kari K. Steele; Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet and Vice President Barbara McGowan.

Panel participants and honorees included Publisher Dorothy Leavell, Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader newspapers, and Chairman of the Board of the Chicago Reader; Senior Editor Katara Washington Patton, Chicago Defender; President Kari K. Steele, MWRD; Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton; and Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough. Byron Steele accepted the award on behalf of his mother, former Commissioner and President of the Cook County Board Bobbi Steele, the first African American woman to serve as president of the Cook County Board and the only African American woman to serve as chairperson of the Finance Committee of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Also honored but not in attendance was Illinois Senate Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, who in 1998 became the youngest African-American female ever elected to the Illinois Senate. The distinguished panelists were recognized for their many contributions:

• Dorothy Leavell – First African American female publisher and editor of the Chicago Crusader, having published the Chicago Crusader and Gary Crusader for more than 50 years.

• Former U.S. Senator, Carol Moseley Braun – In addition to her pioneering role as U.S. Senator, Carol Moseley Braun served as an Assistant United States Attorney, prosecuting cases on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, also serving as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds and as Ambassador to New Zealand.

• Katara Washington Patton – In addition to her role as senior editor of the Chicago Defender, Patton is an author and publishing consultant. Her company, Esteem Publishing, allows writers to bring their book and media ideas to fruition.

• Kari K. Steele – President Kari K. Steele was elected November 6, 2012 to her first term as a Commissioner at the MWRD and re-elected in 2018 for a second term. In January 2019 she was elected President of the Board of Commissioners. She is a chemist, an environmentalist and a community leader. She has more than 11 years of experience working as a chemist. She worked at both the rdine Water Purification Plant as a water chemist and at the MWRD as a water sampler and lab technician.

• Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton – Elected to serve as Illinois’ 48th lieutenant governor and its first African American woman to serve in this capacity. She has owned and operated her own small business, served as an attorney and professional mediator, held a position in higher education as Director of the Center for Public Safety and Justice at the University of Illinois at Chicago and served as a Representative in the Illinois State Legislature.

• Karen Yarbrough – First African American woman to serve as Cook County Clerk. Also serving as Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Representative in the Illinois State Legislature and the first female President of the Maywood Chamber of Commerce.

“Each of our guests has broken down barriers and enriched our society with their major contributions to area residents of all backgrounds,” said President Steele. “We welcome them to the MWRD, celebrate their contributions and thank them for making Illinois a better place to live.”
https://chicagocrusader.com/mwrd-celebrates-female-african-american-trailblazers/

“PROTECTING CHICAGO'S WATERWAYS,” Storm Water Solutions
How a Chicago-area reservoir protects waterways, mitigates flooding & weathers the combined sewer system

Summary: On a frigid December afternoon, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD) Thornton Composite Reservoir in Thornton, Ill., defies the elements. From the reservoir’s scenic outlook, it feels like standing next to a deep, abandoned pool where the bottom is 300 ft below, its sides are composed of 400-million-year-old limestone, and millions of gallons of water will eventually disappear into the base. On the other side of this man-made canyon, semi-trailer trucks barrel down the highway above a dam built upon 32,000 cu yd of roller compacted concrete. The narrow strip of road separates the reservoir from an adjoining quarry being mined. Even in its quiet nature, the reservoir is a sight to behold, yet its impact is more remarkable. Completed in late 2015, the Thornton Composite Reservoir is the largest chapter completed to date in the MWRD’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP). Thornton represents one major piece in MWRD’s response to a century-old challenge dealing with combined sewer systems that have a history of funneling storm water and untreated wastewater into local waterways when major rains inundated the area. If the overflow did not pollute the waterways, it flooded the banks of neighboring Thorn Creek, backed up into basements and flooded streets. Over the last three years, the reservoir has prevented approximately 20.2 billion gal of combined sewage from entering the waterways. In 2018, there were no combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in this area. The reservoir provides an estimated $40 million per year in flood reduction benefits to 556,000 people in 14 communities. It is defying any rainstorm blown its way and proving its worth by improving local waterways and protecting communities from flooding. “Since coming online in 2015, the Thornton Composite Reservoir has proven its worth,” said Kari K. Steele, MWRD president. “It gives us hope that similar systems built at our McCook Reservoir can engineer our way out of major storm events to better protect our water environment and communities from flooding.”

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago invested $4.4 million into odor monitoring controls following complaints from neighbors. Now a data analytics model is use to detect the odors before they become a problem.
https://www.wwdmag.com/sewer-overflows-0

“Kari Steele: Strong-willed and Determined,” Bronzeville Life
When you have a conversation with Kari Steele, her humble disposition as a public servant puts most people at ease. A cross between Steele’s keen sense of being a good listener dripped with a little Southern charm—her rise as the Commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) enters a second six-year term. On January 10, she became the first African-American woman elected as President of MWRD, one of the largest wastewater management agencies in the world. Not an easy feat by any measure. At first reluctant and growingly engaged, Steele follows in the political footsteps of her father, former 6th ward Alderman and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge John O. Steele. A path she had not planned on becoming her ‘calling.’ Unlike other children of political figures, she did not attend Chicago area schools; or roll with the status quo in-between spending her summers in Chicago and staying with her mom in Houston, Texas. Earning her Pre-med degree in Chemistry from Xavier University in 1997, Steele would spend her summers as an intern for MWRD. She held several positions working in Houston for a water testing company and eventually moving to Chicago to work as a control lab water chemist at the Jardin Purification Plant near Navy Pier. Having worked there for nearly six years, she accepted a position at L’Oréal as a formulating chemist where she helped to formulate their ethnic hair care products. Throughout this time, she gradually became more active in community meetings, returning to her family’s old stomping grounds. She admits, as a child, she wasn’t that enthusiastic about having her free time consumed with politics. “I did not like it at all. As a kid, it was something I had to do. I was a kid sitting in community meetings. I was the kid sitting in the back of the room pouting. I had to pass out literature or stuff envelope– it felt like a chore,” she recounts. But while away at Xavier University in New Orleans, she began to understand the importance of having a strong voice in the African American community.
More Than a Title
“In college, I volunteered for Marc Morial because it was exciting to see a Black man run for mayor. It made me think of Harold Washington back in the day here. That was the first thing I stepped out to do on my own. When I came back to Chicago, I was volunteering. The ward office felt like a second home. My dad wasn’t there, and Alderman Fredrenna Lyle was in office, and she asked me to revitalize the 6th ward Young Democrats,” she said. “That’s when I got involved in a leadership role. I was the chair, and I was doing after work sets. I encouraged my friends to be involved.” “From there I joined the Cook County Young Democrats, became the Chair CCYD and was active with the Illinois Young Democrats of Illinois. Politics was my extracurricular activity back then.” While at L’Oréal, Steele became the President of Young Dems and was actively attending community meetings throughout the Southside. When a major issue came up concerning Southside residents who were experiencing major basement water backups, she found herself giving feedback and knowledge about the Water Reclamation Plant and the City of Chicago Water Department to help homeowners. Seeing this triggered the need to have someone who can educate and help people understand what the functions of Water Reclamation do. After the urging of her peers and supporters, she threw her hat into the ring to run for Commissioner on the nine-member board. Remembering the first time she ran for office. “There was no one on the board that represented all of Cook County who lived South of Roosevelt Rd. There wasn’t anyone who was a water chemist or had a chemistry background. That made me more excited to throw my hat in the ring,” she thought. Her first attempt running for Commissioner of MWRD was unsuccessful. “While I had the momentum going, I came very close the first time. It shocked a lot of people, I was in fourth place. By the second time, I was able to gain more support and I won the seat.”
The Functions of MWRD
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago oversees the function of treating wastewater from homes and businesses through the combined sewer systems which also includes stormwater. The water is pumped into the treatment plant and goes through several stages of treatment until it hits the final stage of ‘disinfection’ before the water is released back into the environment. This process significantly reduces any remaining bacteria and viruses to help protect the public from exposure to potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Steele says it’s vital to not only reassure residents and business owners that our water is safe but also working with the EPA and other environmental groups, so standards are followed. “After we treat the wastewater, it’s released in the Chicago waterways. It affects aquatic life. Our recreational activities on the river. Also, with Global Warming that has an effect on the torrential downpours, we see lately,” she says. In the last few years, weird weather patterns are more difficult to track. She adds, “We have to be prepared whether it’s with gray infrastructure, an example is our tunnel systems or green infrastructure or permable pavement used to make sure when we have extreme downpours, the city doesn’t end up underwater.” MWRD has several programs to educate and engage more participation in conserving water but maintaining a healthier lifestyle through environmental efforts. There are now two EQ Compost Distribution Centers for Cook County residents, municipalities, park districts, golf courses, schools and nonprofit organizations for gardening and retaining the nutrients for plant life. Along with establishing unused prescription drug collection boxes at three Water Reclamation Plants—Calumet, O’Brien and Stickney. As Steele steps into her new role leading the $1.1 billion agency as also the youngest to hold this position, she has no plans to pursue another political office anytime soon. “It’s too far ahead, but I’ve learned not to say ‘never.’ I love Water Reclamation. The science of it keeps me sane. Even with all of the political stuff, I can go and talk to kids about STEM careers. The look on their faces is priceless,” said Steele.
Reconnecting to Politics
Along with working with the Museum of Science and Industry’s Black Creativity STEM program and Girls for Science— Steele also looks forward to working with the Girls 4 Science and Girls Scouts. She says it’s important to show students the vast areas they can pursue in Science Careers. Her goal as MWRD President is to see “more changes in diversity in all areas of the department.” Steele is very aware of the shoulders she stands on and being the ‘first’, but she says it has been her sorority sisters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. who have helped with clipboards in hand. “The women around me in that organization keep me going, and they inspire me. I love being around ladies who aren’t just talking, they do the walk.” As a daughter, wife, and mother of an extended family—she is grateful for the support she receives from her family. “They have guided me through everything. Everything I do or have done, I can look back and say, it was because they exposed me as well as being a reflection of them. My mom, my dad, and my grandfather have touched my career path with what they’ve done and my husband, Maze, inspires me and motivates me.”

MWRD President Kari K. Steele	Commissioner Steele speaks to a group of young students

Commissioner Steele poses with the Bud Billiken Royal Court (L) and shows a painted rain barrel.

“Podcast No. 81: Words on Water featuring MWRD Commissioner Cam Davis,” Water Environment Federation
🎧 March 5, 2019 — In this episode, Cameron Davis, vice president at GEI Consultants and a commissioner for the Metropolitan Water District of Greater Chicago, talks about his experience, the role of a water commissioner, and his focus on the issues of infrastructure, equity, and climate change.
https://wordsonwaterwef.com/?powerpress_pinw=9103-podcast

“Niles Village, Parks Award Design Contract for New Golf Mill Park,” Journal & Topics
Summary: The contract follows months of work by a joint village and park district committee on the project to both double the size of Golf Mill Park to 9.09 acres, by combining it with village owned land at 9101 Greenwood Ave., and installing flood detention vaults under the expanded park to create stormwater detention in the area. The village and park district are expected to sign an intergovernmental agreement soon after both boards approve their halves of the design agreement this month. The estimated cost to install the detention vaults and redesign the park is $8.6 million. Several years ago, the village purchased the bank building property at 9101 Greenwood Ave., adjacent to Golf Mill Park, for $2.6 million from the Cuneo family, former owners of Golf Mill Shopping Center. In May 2018, village officials announced the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago committed $2 million in funding for the project. The agency views the project as one of regional significance, which could also help with stormwater detention from parts of southern Glenview. Hitchcock will facilitate a public input process to refine desired design elements of the new park, as well as meetings with stakeholders, analyzing data, work on permitting including with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, confirming budgeted costs and construction schedule, according to Hitchcock’s proposal. Total fees of $39,000 for the design phase would be equally split between the village and park district. The stormwater detention part of the project would hold the equivalent of 12 acres of one-foot-above-ground in stormwater detention and install 4,000 feet of 36-inch-to-54-inch sewer lines. The village recently awarded a contract to Hey and Associates to design the stormwater detention vaults and sewer lines.

https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/niles-village-parks-award-design-contract-for-new-golf-mill-park/

“Ways Rural and Urban Efforts are Improving Water Quality,” IL Farm Bureau
Summary: At the world’s largest wastewater treatment facility near Chicago, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) built the world’s largest nutrient recovery facility, a $36.8 million commitment to cleaner water. The Stickney Water Reclamation Plant now recovers as much phosphorus and nitrogen as it can and sells it for reuse as agricultural fertilizer. About 250 miles downstate, Greene County farmer Maria Cox and her family commit to cover crops, split nitrogen applications and routine soil testing. Their goals: maximize crop productivity and keep nutrients where they’re needed in the soil, not downstream. Thanks to progressive technology and ongoing research into best management practices, rural and urban areas alike learn better ways to work for cleaner water. And voluntarily, farmers and urban caretakers accept the challenge to protect water resources in Illinois and downstream to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone, an ocean area containing low oxygen levels. “The MWRD was proactive in voluntarily accepting a lower limit for total phosphorus at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant,” says Allison Fore, public and intergovernmental affairs officer for MWRD. “Removing phosphorus from the water and returning it to farmers and other agricultural producers represents a significant shift in the wastewater industry from treatment to recovery for reuse. The nutrient recovery facility demonstrates how innovation can transform water, recover resources and protect our planet all at once.”
FARMERS WORK TO RETAIN NUTRIENTS
Since its inception in 2012, the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC) has invested nearly $9.8 million in nutrient-related research efforts for agriculture. NREC, in which the Illinois Farm Bureau serves an active role, intends to help farmers meet the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy to reduce nutrient loss to Illinois waters and the Gulf of Mexico.
CITIES WORK TO RETAIN NUTRIENTS
MWRD of Greater Chicago partnered with a private company to create a system that could recover phosphorus and nitrogen from the water treatment process and create fertilizer for agricultural use. Fore says the nutrient recovery process has worked well, helping the plant remove up to 96 percent of total phosphorus and 84 percent of total nitrogen on average from the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant’s treatment stream. She says the facility appears on target to move the needle forward for nutrient reduction goals in the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy, too. “We realize we cannot solve nutrient reduction by ourselves,” Fore says, “so this partnership addresses nutrient management from many angles so that our state can accomplish all it can in helping downstream communities protect themselves from algae blooms and hypoxic conditions.”
https://www.ilfbpartners.com/farm/ways-rural-and-urban-efforts-are-improving-water-quality/

“Member Spotlight: MWRDGC Honored for Operations & Environmental Performance,” The Water Voice (NACWA)
Within the service boundaries of MWRDGC lies a combined sewer area of 375 square miles. The biggest challenge of managing combined sewers are storms that can cause combined sewer overflows (CSO) that contaminate waterways and cause flooding. Two of the main missions of the MWRDGC are to improve the quality of water in watercourses in its service area and to protect businesses and homes from flood damages. On December 4, 2017, Stage 1 of the McCook Reservoir was completed and placed into operation.  The reservoir passed its first significant test when more than 2.5 inches of rain fell on the Chicagoland area on February 19, 2018, and approximately 3 billion gallons of CSO were diverted to the newly completed McCook Reservoir Stage 1, preventing this polluted water from discharging to area waterways and/or surcharging the sewer system and flooding some of the 3.1 million people within the service area. TARP is the Chicago area’s CSO long term control plan for cost-effectively complying with Federal and State water quality standards. TARP’s main goals are to protect Lake Michigan – the region’s drinking water supply – from raw sewage pollution; improve water quality of area rivers and streams; and provide an outlet for floodwaters to reduce street and basement sewage backup flooding. Stage 1 of the McCook Reservoir can hold 3.5 billion gallons of storage capacity and will protect residents of Chicago and 36 suburban communities from flooding. It can provide an estimated $114 million per year in flood reduction benefits, while also capturing untreated water that formerly overflowed into waterways in rainy weather. After the storm subsides, the polluted water is pumped from the reservoir to the MWRDGC owned Stickney Water Reclamation Plant to be treated and safely discharged to the environment. From December 2017 through September 2018, MWRDGC witnessed a total of 28 storm events within the Chicagoland area, bringing 22 inches of rainfall. Due to those storm events, the McCook Reservoir Stage 1 has successfully captured approximately 20 billion gallons of combined sewage. All that combined sewage was then pumped out of the reservoir, treated at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, and safely discharged to the waterways. As a result of this project and other water quality enhancements, Chicago area residents now see the river system as a major asset. Marinas, riverfront trails and riverside restaurants abound; river recreation and tourism are on the rise; and game fish have returned to the Chicago Area Waterway System.
https://thewatervoice.org/member-spotlight-mwrdgc-honored-for-operations-environmental-performance/

The Sounds Newspaper, Chicago

“Construction bids a harbinger of spring,” Forest Park Review
Summary: In a sign that spring is just around the corner, the Forest Park Village Council, Feb. 11, authorized advertising for bids for two infrastructure projects. One project will replace the alley in the 900 block between Marengo and Elgin avenues with a "green" alley. The other will entail replacing the water mains under the 400 and 500 blocks of Beloit Avenue and the 1500 block of Marengo Avenue and resurfacing those streets and the 600 block of Beloit and the 1400 block of Marengo. Funds from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) will cover $123,830 of the estimated total cost of $280,000 for the green alley, with the remainder coming from the Village Improvement Program (VIP) fund. The VIP fund is a debt service fund committed to public infrastructure improvements. The estimated cost of the water main/street resurfacing project is $1,214,000, paid for with $656,000 from the VIP Fund and $558,000 from the water fund. Bids for both projects are due Feb. 27 with contracts expected to be awarded in March. Village Administrator Tim Gillian said he is hopeful that both projects will start in the spring with the alley project expected to take 4-6 weeks and the water main/street resurfacing project two to three months. When the alley is replaced, the center 6 feet will consist of permeable pavers to help stop storm-water runoff; the rest will be concrete. In addition, the alley will have perforated catch basins to maximize storm water infiltration into the ground. Together the green infrastructure installations will provide a total design retention capacity of 28,841 gallons of storm water per rain event. The green alley will be the third in the village, joining the 500 block alley between Thomas and Beloit avenues and the 100 block alley between Harlem and Elgin Avenue. Gillian indicated the cost of a green alley is $100,000 higher than the cost of a standard concrete alley, which is preventing the village from doing more. Under an intergovernmental agreement between the village and the MWRD, Forest Park officials will provide and maintain signage describing the project as a joint effort between the village and the water reclamation district "to promote the use of green infrastructure as an effective means of storm water management." Mayor Anthony Calderone noted that Forest Park was the first municipality in Cook County to install a green alley in 2011 and the first to have all LED street lights, which was accomplished in 2012 and 2013. "We've been practicing green technology for quite some time," he said. "Wherever we can, we are trying to be environmentally friendly." Commissioner Tom Mannix noted that installing all LED street lights not only helped the environment but the village budget as well. "It's also saved taxpayers hundreds or thousands of dollars because of the reduced maintenance costs and electricity costs," he said. "Not only was it good for a green and healthy environment but also good for greening the wallet." The green alley and water main/street resurfacing projects are part of an $8.5 million infrastructure plan for 2019 unveiled in December. Almost all of the funding for the plan, which includes two major projects, would come from tax increment financing (TIF) funds and grant money. Heading the list are a $3.5 million multifaceted project in the Brown Street TIF District on the north end of the village and a $2.7 million sewer separation project at the south end. Of the $8,560,072 estimated total project costs, $5,159,795 will come from TIF funds; $2,030,107 from grant funds; $812,170 from the VIP fund; and $558,000 from the water fund.
https://www.forestparkreview.com/News/Articles/2-12-2019/Construction-bids-a-harbinger-of-spring/

“Recent weekend thaw leaves Rosemont unfazed,” Journal & Topics
Luck was on Rosemont’s side last weekend as the warming temperatures thawed out much of the ice and snow that had some worried about potential water main breaks and flooding. “The village was all good over the weekend,” Rosemont Public Works Director Mike Raimondi said. “This was the first weekend in three weekends I didn’t get any phone calls. We got lucky. No flooding, no main breaks.” The Rosemont Department of Public Works was prepared for the relatively warmer weather that followed last week’s polar vortex and snow. Raimondi said the department anticipated a couple of problems associated with the temperature forecasted to reach into the 40s this weekend. He said when it’s cold and the weather breaks into warmer temperatures, it’s usually guaranteed the village will see water main breaks. The department was stocked up on water main repair sleeves, and contractors were ready to go if needed. He said with a main break, the department receives a call from public safety and heads to the property affected by the problem. The public works department notifies the resident or commercial property owner that the water will be turned off before the department turns the valves and start to dig. Raimondi said another possible complication from the combination of accumulated snow, warming temperatures and anticipated precipitation was potential flooding. He said Rosemont snow plows try to plow curb to curb in order to keep storm sewers clear and open. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago mirrored Raimondi’s claim regarding potential flooding. The MWRD was prepared for the weekend’s melt and rain, according to a press release from the district. Frozen ground is unable to absorb water and snow and causes runoff to immediately flow to the sewers. The district lowered the water levels in the Chicago Area Waterway System to make room for the expected runoff. Additionally, several reservoirs were ready to hold more than 11 billion gallons of water, according to the MWRD. The MWRD advised Chicagoland residents to limit water usage, clear storm drains, check sump pumps, keep gutters clear and ensure the backwater valves are cleaned and functioning when weather makes jumps like it did over the weekend.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/recent-weekend-thaw-leaves-rosemont-unfazed/

“MWRD Says It’s On Pace to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 50 Percent,” WTTW

MWRD says that new primary settling tanks at its Stickney Water Reclamation Plant are lowering its carbon footprint by trapping methane emissions and generating energy that can be returned to the plant. (Courtesy Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

The Chicago area’s wastewater treatment agency says it’s ahead of schedule in its efforts to combat climate change, having decreased greenhouse gas emissions at its treatment plants by more than 30 percent since 2005. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago says infrastructure upgrades will eventually allow the agency to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent, also relative to 2005 levels. MWRD spokesperson Allison Fore said the agency does not have a timeline for reaching the 50-percent goal. The reductions are projected to lower the agency’s carbon footprint by up to 172,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to nearly 20 million gallons of gas consumed, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator. MWRD’s announcement comes amid a flurry of climate change-related news, both nationally and in Illinois. A group of prominent Democratic lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a plan – which is being called the “Green New Deal” – to transform the U.S. economy by creating thousands of renewable energy jobs. On Wednesday, Democratic state Rep. Will Davis of south suburban Hazel Crest announced his plan to introduce legislation aimed at significantly expanding Illinois’ wind and solar energy capacity.

MWRD has created compost products that are planted with oak tree saplings, which help soak up stormwater. (Courtesy Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

And last month, new Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed an executive order adding Illinois to a coalition of states that say they’re committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions consistent with targets set in the landmark 2015 Paris climate agreement. After President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw the U.S. from the deal in 2017, MWRD’s Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to honor the Paris agreement by meeting goals outlined in the deal. In initially signing the agreement under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. had set a target of reducing emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025, based on 2005 levels. “It is critically important for us to examine potential sources of renewable energy, find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and recover valuable raw materials as we work toward a goal of addressing climate change and improving our water environment,” said MWRD President Kari Steele in a statement. To reduce its energy consumption, MWRD has implemented alternative energy sources and decommissioned 36 outdated sewage tanks at its Stickney Water Reclamation Plant. The tanks are being replaced with 15 new tanks the agency says will lower its carbon footprint and alleviate odor issues associated with the wastewater treatment process. The new equipment will also result in less nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas – discharged into area waterways, according to the agency. MWRD also attributes its emissions reductions to 56,000 oak tree saplings planted by the agency throughout Cook County to help soak up stormwater and capture carbon dioxide. “By meeting greenhouse gas emission goals well ahead of the Paris Agreement goals for 2025, the MWRD is leading the fight to save our planet while making Cook County a quality place to live,” said MWRD Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet in a statement.
https://news.wttw.com/2019/02/07/mwrd-says-it-s-pace-cut-greenhouse-gas-emissions-50-percent

“Emission reductions help MWRD reach climate change goals ahead of schedule,” Water World

New primary settling tanks at the MWRD's Stickney Water Reclamation Plant help the MWRD lower its carbon footprint by trapping methane emissions and reproducing energy that can be returned to the plant.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has decreased greenhouse gas emissions by 30.5 percent relative to 2005 levels, and projections show that after the addition of new infrastructure, those emission levels will potentially decrease to approximately 50 percent. The MWRD in late 2018 installed a new primary treatment and grit removal system that will soon replace aging Imhoff tanks at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (WRP). These upgrades position the MWRD to curb methane emissions and reduce its carbon footprint by up to 172,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. These reductions support the United States pledge to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent below its 2005 level by 2025, according to the Paris Climate Agreement. Despite the federal government's intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in June 2017, the MWRD Board of Commissioners passed a resolution a month later in 2017 to honor the Paris Agreement by continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing that climate change could adversely impact the residents of Cook County and the MWRD's operations through increased precipitation and flooding, the MWRD Board of Commissioners decided the cause was too crucial to renounce. Staff sought ways to mitigate the risk of climate change ahead of the 2025 deadline. "It is critically important for us to examine potential sources of renewable energy, find ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and recover valuable raw materials as we work toward a goal of addressing climate change and improving our water environment," said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. The MWRD operates seven WRPs and 22 pumping stations, consuming approximately 600 million kilowatt hours per year of electricity. To address climate change, the MWRD's Strategic Business Plan identified various ways to protect the environment, reflecting the MWRD's diversity of important tasks and mission. These goals included reducing both greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption; recovering resources; promoting resiliency; flood protection; greater use of both green and gray infrastructure; and encouraging greater use of recycling and reuse. The MWRD has met many of these goals both directly and indirectly. Thanks to ComEd's alternative energy sources supplying part of the MWRD's power needs, the agency's carbon footprint from electrical usage dropped by more than 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents since 2005. More directly, by decommissioning 36 older Imhoff tanks at Stickney WRP, the MWRD lowered biochemical oxygen demand settling and capture and drastically reduced methane escaping to the atmosphere. There will be 72 additional tanks replaced by the new preliminary and primary treatment facilities. The MWRD constructed nine 160-foot di­ameter primary settling tanks and six 132-foot long aerated grit tanks, associated support facilities, service tunnels and conduits, which are expected to have a lower carbon footprint impact than the Imhoff tanks. In addition to promoting sustainable energy practices, these new facilities will increase and improve grit removal, protect downstream piping and equipment and alleviate odor issues associated with the wastewater treatment process. The MWRD is also generating less nitrous oxide from discharge to the waterways, which is likely attributed to biological phosphorus removal at the WRPs. The MWRD also sequesters carbon through different channels. The MWRD's beneficial reuse of biosolids as a soil amendment has yielded a savings of more than 17,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide through biosolids land application for crops. MWRD trees have also sequestered nearly 5,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, not including the MWRD's "Restore the Canopy" program, which has dispatched more than 56,000 oak tree saplings for the benefit of soaking up stormwater, sequestering carbon and improving air quality. Other forms of green infrastructure implemented by the MWRD across Cook County have allowed new vegetation to sequester carbon and also decrease the energy needed to convey and treat water when it is absorbed naturally into the ground. These projects also reduce the heat island effect in local communities by replacing asphalt with natural landscaping that can indirectly reduce energy consumption. "By meeting greenhouse gas emission goals well ahead of the Paris Agreement goals for 2025, the MWRD is leading the fight to save our planet while making Cook County a quality place to live," said Kimberly Du Buclet, chairman of the Federal Legislation Committee.
https://www.waterworld.com/articles/2019/02/emission-reductions-help-mwrd-reach-climate-change-goals-ahead-of-schedule.html

“$33.8 million in federal funds to complete second stage of McCook Reservoir, Illinois,” Smart Water Magazine
A pilot program by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), which has never been used by the Corps before, will grant the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) the critical funds it needs to complete the final chapter of the famed Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) that protects and improves the quality of area waterways and reduces flooding. Thanks to the support of the Corps’ Chicago District and the Illinois congressional delegation, the MWRD has secured $33.8 million to help complete McCook Reservoir Stage II. This lump sum payment to the MWRD came as a result of a pilot program established under the Water Resources Development Act of 2014, which evaluates the cost-effectiveness and project delivery efficiency of allowing non-federal interests to carry out construction of projects for flood risk management. “We thank the Chicago Office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for believing in the MWRD and the significance of this meaningful project that will help us protect our water environment and mitigate area flooding through the completion of the McCook Reservoir,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “This partnership and the tremendous support of Senator Durbin, Senator Duckworth and our congressional leaders in Washington. D.C. have moved this project a giant step closer to reality. We are thrilled to be the very first local sponsor to complete this construction work under this authority. It is indeed an honor for the District, and we thank our Senators, the delegation and the Corps for their confidence in us.” Following a signing ceremony held at the Corps’ Chicago District Office to formally mark the transfer of funds, the MWRD will assume responsibility for the design and construction of remaining elements of the McCook Reservoir Stage II. The pilot study will allow the MWRD to complete the reservoir work without having to seek federal funds each year as has been past practice.  “We want to implement this pilot program with an organization that has the engineering, leadership, management and resources necessary to see this through. That organization is MWRD and the professionals that work there,” said Col. Aaron Reisinger, commander and district engineer of the Corps’ Chicago District. McCook Reservoir Stage I, which was completed by the MWRD and the Corps in December 2017, can hold 3.5 billion gallons. McCook Reservoir Stage II will hold another 6.5 billion gallons and will be in service by 2029. Stage II of McCook is currently being mined and is more than a quarter excavated. When fully complete by 2029, the McCook Reservoir is estimated to provide more than $143 million per year in flood reduction benefits to 3.1 million people in Chicago and 36 suburban communities. In only its first year, McCook Reservoir Stage I has made a major impact, taking on water a total of 39 times in 2018. More importantly, the reservoir captured 27.2 billion gallons of water during that time. If not for McCook, that 27.2 billion gallons of water could easily have polluted and overwhelmed area waterways and combined sewer systems and flooded streets, homes and communities. “I am so glad that I am able to play a small part in this innovative solution to improve water quality and alleviate flooding in Cook County,” said MWRD Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet, chairman of the MWRD’s Federal Legislation committee. The TARP system, which is comprised of four large tunnels and three reservoirs, is unmatched in size throughout the world. The tunnels and reservoir are designed to reduce the amount of water pollution by holding untreated water until it can be cleaned at MWRD water reclamation plants. Area water quality has been improving since the tunnels went in service in the mid-1980s, and again in 2006 once the tunnels were completed. Since the 7.9 billion gallon Thornton Composite Reservoir was brought into service in the south suburbs in 2015, combined sewer overflows in area waterways have been nearly eliminated. In addition to the support outlined in the Project Participation Agreement signed by the MWRD and Corps, the project has also gained the approval of the Corps’ Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, the Corps’ headquarters, U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Army and White House Office of Management and Budget.
https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/metropolitan-water-reclamation-district-greater-chicago/338-million-federal-funds-complete

“MWRD Advises Municipalities, Residents to Prevent Winter Flooding Through Proper Planning,” Water Online
With temperatures warming up after record-breaking cold the past few days, snowmelt and rain can lead to flooding in the Chicagoland region. Frozen ground is unable to absorb water and snow, and run-off immediately flows to the sewers. In addition, ice can block storm drains and streams. As a result, flooding may occur when the sewer system becomes overwhelmed from the combination of normal sewage flow, rain water and snow melt. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is preparing for the flow by lowering water levels in the Chicago Area Waterway System to make room for runoff. In addition, our Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) tunnels, Majewski Reservoir, Thornton Composite Reservoir, and McCook Reservoir Stage I are ready to hold over 11 billion gallons of water. Municipalities as well as the public can help plan for and minimize flooding by reducing water use. Postponing high water consumption activities such as bathing or showering, running dishwashers or washing clothes will also help provide maximum capacity in the local and intercepting sewer systems.
Other activities that can help minimize flooding include:

• Make sure storm drains are clear and not buried under snow drifts.
• Keep areas around streams free of floatable debris.
• If your home has a backwater valve installed on the sewer, follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning to ensure that it is functioning properly.
• Check your sump pump to make sure it is working properly.
• If your home or area is prone to flooding you may want to remove valuable items from basement floors.
• Keep your gutters clear. When they are blocked, water will pour over the edges, landing on the ground next to your home. If you have cracks in the concrete wall of your basement or problems with your tile, this water could enter your home.

If you see flooding, report it to your municipality; in Chicago, call 311.
SOURCE: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD)
https://www.wateronline.com/doc/mwrd-advises-municipalities-residents-to-prevent-winter-flooding-through-proper-planning-0001
https://patch.com/illinois/oaklawn/after-big-chill-big-thaw-could-bring-potential-flooding

“First-of-its-kind agreement signed by USACE and MWRD to complete vital infrastructure project,” US Army Corps of Engineers

The board of commissioners for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, hold a novelty check for $33.8 million with Col. Aaron Reisinger (front row, right), commander and district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District, following a signing ceremony Jan. 3. The MWRD received $33.8 million in federal funds under authority of Section 1043 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, which allows federal funds to transfer through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to local sponsors for authorized projects. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Bray/Released)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District signed a project partnership agreement allowing the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to receive $33.8 million in federal funds Jan. 31. Acting on behalf of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, R.D. James, this first-of-its-kind agreement allows the Chicago District to transfer funds to MWRD for the federal share of stage two of the McCook Reservoir combined sewage overflow project. “We want to implement this pilot program with an organization that has the engineering, leadership, management and resources necessary to see this through. That organization is MWRD and the professionals that work there,” said Col. Aaron Reisinger, commander and district engineer of the Corps’ Chicago District. The project partnership agreement was approved by the MWRD board of commissioners Jan. 24, which lead to the official signing Jan. 31. The transfer of funds happened immediately thereafter under authority of Section 1043 of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014, which allows federal funds to transfer through the Corps to local sponsors for authorized projects. “We thank the Chicago District for believing in the MWRD and the significance of this meaningful project that will help us protect our water environment and mitigate area flooding through the completion of the McCook Reservoir,” said Kari Steele, president of the board of commissioners at MWRD. The McCook Reservoir project is part of Chicago’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan that reduces water pollution by holding raw sewage in a reservoir until it can be treated – sewage that otherwise could have flooded into streams and rivers during heavy rain events when treatment facilities are overburdened. Stage one can hold 3.5 billion gallons of combined sewage overflow and stage two will hold an additional 6.5 billion gallons when it goes into service in 2029. Both USACE and the Federal Government remain fully committed to the completion of stage two of the McCook Reservoir project. In this next stage, the Corps will ensure that the funding is used for the federal purpose and that the quality meets federal standards. An amount of $880,000 was retained by the Corps from the authorized total amount in the fiscal year 2018 work plan to oversee the project as it is built. “Stage two of the reservoir is not yet complete and that is why we are here today,” said project manager Mike Padilla at the signing ceremony. “Together the Corps and MWRD will draft a project management plan that will set out all of the components of the project and schedule and we will work together to approve plans and specifications.” Stage two completion activities include control of seepage from stage one to stage two during the period of performance; rock wall stabilization; rock wall and slope monitoring instrumentation; completion of inter-stage connecting tunnels; installation of an aeration system; and access improvements. “It is great to know that funds to complete the reservoir have been secured and will be transferred to MWRD,” said Padilla. “Until now there was great uncertainty if federal funds would be available to finish the project.” Construction began on stage one of the McCook reservoir in 1999 and completed in 2017. “The McCook reservoir is a nationally significant engineering marvel. There are many unique things about the design and construction of the project itself that made it especially challenging,” said Reisinger during the ribbon cutting ceremony for stage one in December 2017. “As we understand, there is nothing quite like it in the world.” As if to showcase the monumental achievement of USACE and MWRD, following stage one becoming operational on Jan. 1, 2018, the reservoir was put to the test when a storm event in February 2018 filled the reservoir to capacity. The reservoir performed as designed and prevented an estimated $30 million in flood damages in its debut performance. It is estimated that throughout 2018 the McCook reservoir saved approximately $144 million in combined sewage overflow damages. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chicago District has partnered with MWRD on the reservoirs of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan since 1976 when the Corps’ Chief of Engineers recommended that the Chicagoland Underflow Plan be accomplished under the Corps’ flood control program. This plan eventually led up to the construction of the McCook reservoir. The Chicago District’s mission focuses on flood risk management and storm damage reduction, navigation, environment, regulatory, emergency management, and interagency and international services in the Chicago metropolitan area, an area of about 5,000 square miles with a population of more than nine million.
https://www.lrc.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Stories/Article/1746268/first-of-its-kind-agreement-signed-by-usace-and-
mwrd-to-complete-vital-infrastr/fbclid/IwAR3yfvhDbTnjn0mdYQnzCFeRuzlLeOpahPeY53fuLvI2MjfqGb6jR85OEJg/

“Steele elected MWRD president,” Beverly Review

Kari Steele

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) made history when its nine-member board unanimously elected Commissioner Kari K. Steele as the first African-American woman to lead the $1.1-billion agency. Steele brings to the board unique qualifications as a chemist, environmentalist and former employee of the MWRD. As the newly elected president, Steele will lead one of the largest wastewater management agencies in the world, overseeing sanitary and flood protection for more than 5 million residents in Cook County. “I am honored my colleagues would elect me to lead one of the most important agencies in Cook County,” said Steele. “As a chemist, I understand how important the proper treatment of wastewater is to public health. As an environmentalist, I will continue making the protection of our most precious natural resource—Lake Michigan—a top priority. And as a leader, I will emphasize the use of green infrastructure as a cornerstone for building the Cook County of the future.” First elected to the board in 2012, Steele started at the MWRD as a 19-year-old intern water sampler. “I never imagined that I would become president of the board of commissioners, so I hope to inspire little girls of color with chemistry sets and an abundance curiosity to pursue STEM-based education and careers,” Steele said. “I also recognize the historic nature of my election as the first black woman to lead the district, particularly at a time when access to clean water has leaped to the forefront of the national and local debate. Access to clean water is not only as a health issue, but an environmental-justice issue as well. Both make my role at MWRD even more important.” Joining Steele on the executive board are Vice-President Barbara McGowan and Chairman of Finance Frank Avila; both were re-elected unanimously. 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 damage, and manage water as a vital resource for its service area. For more information about Steele or the MWRD call (312) 751-5695 or visit the website at mwrd.org.
http://www.beverlyreview.net/news/community_news/article_7d10de78-23e9-11e9-a5c9-67c15b64052d.html

“Valuing Water through Art: Imagine a Day Student Artwork Gallery,” US Water Alliance
Sarah Huckins, Program Associate, US Water Alliance | January 23, 2019
This past October over 1,000 organizations came together across the country to celebrate Imagine a Day Without Water. As part of that day of action, utilities held art contests and sponsored projects to engage elementary school students on the value of water. Highlighted below are some of the winning art pieces and participating schools who helped visualize the value of water.

MWRD

MWRD

In Virginia, the Albemarle County Service Authority, City of Charlottesville, and Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority partnered together on a city and county-wide art contest for students on the theme “How do you save water?” The five winners shown above each received a $200 prize for their pieces. To learn more about the contest click here. Check out @CVilleWaterConservation on Facebook to see the IADWW Teacher Recognition Awards as well! The City of San Luis Obispo Utilities hosted an art contest for third and fourth graders, showing the student artwork at a city farmer’s and local gallery. To see all the submissions, click here and learn more about SLO Utilities on Twitter @SLOUtilitiesDep. Gertrude K. Edelman Sabal Palm Elementary School created an Imagine a Day student art contest and partnered with the North Miami Beach Water Department to host an awards ceremony. Teachers, student-participants, and their families gathered at the NMB Public Library where contest winners received trophies provided by the NMB Water Department. Also during the ceremony, Teacher of the Year, Hadassah Weiner Freidman, received the United Teachers of Dade Presidential Grant to provide gift card prizes for the contest winners as well as rain barrels for GKE Sabal Palm. Illinois American Water partnered with schools across the state to host its annual “Imagine a Day Without Water Art Contest.” From a pool of entrants from the third, fourth, and fifth grades, Illinois American Water selected 19 winners, who earned $100 for their classroom celebrations. To see more images, check out Illinois American Water’s Facebook post about the event or follow along on Twitter @ilamwater. All the fourth and fifth graders at Schmid Elementary School were winners when MWRD Chicago visited on Imagine a Day Without Water to lead a STEAM workshop and encourage students to represent a day without water through art! To learn more about MWRD Chicago, follow along on Twitter @MWRDGC. With so much fantastic art from 2018, we’re excited to see what Imagine a Day Without Water 2019 brings!
http://uswateralliance.org/resources/blog/valuing-water-through-art-imagine-day-student-artwork-gallery

“City Moves Forward Willow Road Panel,” Journal - Topics

Water from the overflowed Willow Sloughs and Hillcrest Lake covers Willow Road in Prospect Hts. on Thursday, Apr. 18, 2013. (Journal file photo)

Summary: A newly formed city committee is tasked with providing guidance and feedback on the raising of Willow Road as part of a larger area flood control project. A resolution approved by aldermen at Monday’s (Jan. 28) Prospect Heights City Council meeting establishes the Ad Hoc Willow Road Project Committee. It will consist of a mix of local residents and city officials appointed by the mayor. Most of the funding for the proposed $3 million project will come from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), with Cook County and the city providing lesser amounts. While no official timelines have been set, it is believed that once an intergovernmental agreement is in place, construction could start sometime in 2020. The MWRD wants to raise two-lane Willow Road two-to-four feet at its crossing with Hillcrest Lake and the Willow Sloughs. The low-lying spot frequently floods during heavy events forcing its closure. As part of the project, Hillcrest Drive and Owen Street, located along the lake just north of Willow Road, will also be slightly raised to withstand heavy flooding.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/city-moves-forward-willow-road-panel/

“1st black woman president for 130-year-old Metropolitan Water Reclamation Board,” Sun-Times

New Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari K. Steele at the McCook Reservoir, the largest of its kind in the world, which came online December 2017. On Jan. 10, Steele was elected the first African-American woman to lead the agency in its 130 years. | Photo by Edward Steave

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) quietly made history this month by electing its first African-American woman president in its 130-year history. Kari Steele, 43, an environmentalist elected in November to her second six-year term on the $1.1 billion agency’s nine-member board, was unanimously elected president on Jan. 10. She is the only professional chemist on the board overseeing Cook County’s seven sanitary and flood protection plants serving Chicago and 125 municipalities — including the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant in Cicero, the world’s largest. Board presidents serve two-year terms. “This year is our 130th anniversary, and it was in 2012, when I started my first term, that we elected our first female president ever,” noted Steele, born and raised in South Side Chatham. “Six years later, I have had women colleagues, and African-American women colleagues, come to my office with tears in their eyes. They cannot believe how the district has transformed, the groundbreaking changes we’ve made since then with diversity on the board.”

New Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari K. Steele engages youth in the Faith in Place Eco-Ambassadors Program, which encourages multi-faith involvement in earth preservation efforts. | Provided photo

When Steele was elected in 2012, Commissioner Terrence J. O’Brien was retiring after serving 24 years on the board — 15 as president. MWRD’s gender wall on board leadership was broken by Kathleen Meany, who replaced O’Brien as president. She retired two years later after 26 years on the board. Mariyana Spyropoulos followed Meany as president. She served two terms, then decided not to run again. The board’s gender and racial diversity movement is significant at this time, particularly following mid-term elections that swept in the most racially diverse and most female representatives ever in a freshman class of Congress; that led some to call 2018 the “Year of the Woman.” “That election inspires me still, looking at other African-American females excelling and accomplishing these achievements. It brings me hope,” said Steele, daughter of one-time 6th ward alderman and retired Illinois Appellate Court Judge John O. Steele. “As a minority, I know there are still a lot of changes that we are working to see, but I’m excited for my future,” the board president said.

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District President Kari K. Steele assists a student during the Jr. Science Café in celebration of the Museum of Science and Industry’s Black Creativity program exposing African-American youth to careers in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEM) fields. | Provided photo

Steele obtained her degree in chemistry with a minor in biology at Xavier University in Louisiana. She started at the MWRD at age 19; she was an intern for several summers, working as a water sampler. She returned after college as a lab technician, then spent seven years as a water chemist for the Chicago Water Department, and six years as a formulating chemist at L’Oreal USA. She lost her first bid for the MWRD board in 2010, then was elected two years later. She laughs about most people having no idea what her agency does. “Simply said, we treat waste water and we manage flood water. The difference between us and the city water department is that they supply you with the water that comes into your house.  We treat the water that leaves your house,” Steele said. “We don’t often think about it. But when we flush the toilet, run the dishwasher, wash our clothes, or take a shower, where does that water go?” Outside of the business of running the board, her focus as president will be community involvement, Steele said. “I want to make sure every community is aware of what we have to offer, aware of S.T.E.M. opportunities, whether it’s career options or contracts, or just knowing about green infrastructure,” she said. “As a 19-year-old intern here, I never imagined I would become president of the board. So I also hope to inspire little girls that look like me to pursue STEM-based education and careers.”

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Kari K. Steele is sworn in for her second six-year term by Judge P. Scott Neville, on Dec. 4, 2018. On Jan. 10, her colleagues unanimously elected her President. | Photo by Dan Wendt
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/1st-black-woman-president-for-130-year-old-metropolitan-water-reclamation-board/

“Kari. K. Steele elected President of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District,” Lawndale News
On Thursday, January 10, 2019, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) made history when its nine-member board unanimously elected Commissioner Kari K. Steele as the first African- American woman to lead the $1.1 billion agency. President Steele brings to the Board her unique qualifications as a chemist, environmentalist, and a former employee of the District. As the newly elected President, she will lead one of the largest wastewater management agencies in the world, overseeing sanitary and flood protection for more than five million residents in Cook County. “I am honored my colleagues would elect me to lead one of the most important agencies in Cook County,” said Steele. “As a chemist, I understand how important the proper treatment of wastewater is to public health. As an environmentalist, I will continue making the protection of our most precious natural resource – Lake Michigan – a top priority. And as a leader, I will emphasize the use of green infrastructure as a cornerstone for building the Cook County of the future.” For more information about MWRD, visit www.mwrd.org or call 312-751-5695.
http://www.lawndalenews.com/2019/01/kari-k-steele-elected-president-of-the-metropolitan-water-reclamation-district/

“Green Infrastructure grant to help pay for additional Fox Pointe parking,” Lansing Journal
Summary: MWRD Engineering staff have authority to negotiate an IGA with the village of Lansing on a green infrastructure project. “Whenever we have an opportunity to leverage some dollars from either our county or the national level,” said Village Administrator Dan Podgorski at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting, “we try to do so.” He reported that a project submitted by the Village of Lansing has been selected for Green Infrastructure Project funds from the MWRD, so the MWRD would cover 58 percent of the cost, up to $250,000. The chosen project is one that Village Engineer Jeff Pintar, from Robinson Engineering, suggested last summer—a new parking lot that will be installed between Washington Street and the Clock Tower Plaza. The project is considered “green” because the lot will use permeable pavement and bioswales to collect stormwater and nourish the surrounding landscape, rather than creating an additional source of runoff into overloaded sewer systems.
Sewage, stormwater, and parking
Pintar makes an annual presentation to the Village Board about stormwater management, reminding officials and the public that Lansing uses a combined sewer system that diverts both sewer water and stormwater to MWRD’s treatment facilities. On its own, stormwater does not need to be treated, so combining it with sewer water puts unnecessary burden on treatment facilities. In addition, when the sewers themselves are overburdened during a storm event, sewer water can back up into residents’ homes. Pintar described the Washington Street parking lot project as a win-win for MWRD and the Village of Lansing. “This project will take a good area where this parking lot will be constructed, and all of the stormwater will be trapped and contained onsite through green infrastructure,” he explained at the meeting. “It will take the stormwater and let it infiltrate into the ground and not go into the sewer system.” A typical storm event produces 98,200 gallons of stormwater in an area this size, so a green parking lot can prevent that much stormwater from entering the sewers. Plus, the new lot will provide 70–80 parking spaces for Fox Pointe patrons.
The education element
Lansing’s project was one of 20 that were selected from 48 applications submitted. Pintar believes one of the elements that made our project appealing was the educational component. The MWRD will work with the Village to create signage that will explain what green infrastructure is. Because the parking lot will serve potentially thousands of Lansing residents and out-of-town guests throughout the year, that message will reach a lot of people.  The Board has three weeks to review and consider the intergovernmental agreement required by the grant, and it will be on the agenda for a vote at the February 5 Village Board meeting. If approved, plans for the proposed parking lot will be drawn up, and the project can go out for bids.

The parking area between Washington Street and the Clock Tower Plaza has been selected as a Green Infrastructure Project. The view here is from Washington Street, looking west, with Winterhoff Park in the background. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma, January 21, 2019)

Fox Pointe was constructed with bioswales as well, and the rainy weather during Autumn Fest 2018 provided plenty of opportunity to see them in action. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma, October 6, 2018)
https://www.thelansingjournal.com/news/2019/01/21/green-infrastructure-grant-to-help-pay-for-additional-fox-pointe-parking/?fbclid=IwAR1fPT7T-8A5i2PlHT7HuRH9JQM6M9-srnqNDt9s0l_P83bFXHvJvPE7I5w

“Kari Steele Elected as New President at MWRD,” WTTW

Recently elected MWRD President Kari Steele (second from left) oversees her first board meeting as president earlier this month. (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)

Since her election to MWRD’s board in 2012, Steele has served as chair of several committees, including Budget and Employment, Information Technology and Monitoring/Research. A self-described environmentalist, Steele has also chaired the organization’s Employees Credit Union Board of Directors. “This is much more than a job for me,” Steele said in a statement. “[MWRD] is part of what makes me who I am and represents the people and places that I am proud to serve. I thank my fellow commissioners and staff members for their support and look forward to carrying on the excellent tradition of the MWRD and working hand in hand with our exceptional clean water team.” Steele’s election as president comes a month after MWRD welcomed three new commissioners – Kimberly Du Buclet, Cameron Davis and Marcelino Garcia – who were elected in November. The organization also appointed longtime staffer Brian Perkovich as its new executive director in December.

Newly elected MWRD President Kari Steele (center) with Finance Chairman Frank Avila and Vice President Barbara McGowan (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago)
https://news.wttw.com/2019/01/22/kari-steele-elected-new-president-mwrd

“Grant Could Boost Green Infrastructure in Park Ridge, Ill.,” Pioneer Press
Summary: City officials are in the process of considering funding from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago that would pay 50 percent of construction costs to convert an old parking garage to a green facility.
Financial assistance that would help pay for the reconstruction of a public parking lot using so-called “green infrastructure” is available to the city of Park Ridge, Ill., if officials want to accept it, the city council was told last week. But aldermen must decide if the city should also invest in the project in order for it to move forward. According to a staff memo shared with the city council on Jan. 14, the city has been awarded a funding from the MWRD that will pay 50 percent of construction costs — up to $650,000 — for a green infrastructure project, estimated at $1.3 million, in the city’s Central Parking Lot, located next to the Park Ridge Public Library. Park Ridge Public Works Director Wayne Zingsheim said the project would include the installation of permeable pavement (such as permeable brick pavers set in sand), new drainage and “other green technologies.” According to a call for applications from the MWRD, green infrastructure is designed to “capture” rainwater so it can infiltrate the ground before entering the sewer system. “This helps to reduce the amount of water flowing through pipes that are often overwhelmed by increasingly intense rain events experienced throughout the region,” the MWRD said.
https://www.google.com/amp/www.govtech.com/fs/infrastructure/Grant-Could-Boost-Green-Infrastructure-in-Park-Ridge-Ill.html?AMP

“Tunnel Protects Chicago Neighborhood From Flooding,” Water Online

A Chicago stormwater diversion tunnel designed to correct a chronic flooding problem that has plagued the city’s Albany Park neighborhood over the past decade has been recognized for its effectiveness and ingenuity. The Albany Park Tunnel project, which was completed earlier this year, was selected by The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Illinois chapter, for a 2019 Engineering Excellence Award. The tunnel earned an Honors Award in the water resources project category. Projects receiving an Honors Award from ACEC-Illinois will now be considered for the Lincoln Grand Conceptor award, and are eligible for consideration for an ACEC national award, both of which will be named next year. “It was a privilege to work with this team of professionals on the Albany Tunnel project, and this recognition from our peers is really special,” said Sonny Jaramilla, resident engineer who led the project for WSP USA. Honor Awards recognize original and innovative projects for exceptional engineering that exceed the needs of the client, benefit the public welfare with economic and sustainable design considerations, demonstrate a high degree of merit, and add value to the engineering profession.

The Albany Park Stormwater Tunnel is providing relief for a Chicago community that has been decimated by regular flooding over the past decade.

Flood Diversion
Located about 150 feet below Foster Avenue on Chicago’s North Side, the 5,800-foot Albany Park Stormwater Diversion Tunnel was designed to carry stormwater from the north branch to the north channel of the Chicago River through a series of tunnels and shafts. The passive system uses gravity to carry the stormwater overflow away from Albany Park.

WSP served as construction manager for the project, working on behalf of the Chicago Department of Transportation. Construction began in 2016. 

Continuous Communication
“The entire tunnel footprint spans three aldermanic wards involving thousands of residents,” Jaramilla said. “Public safety and awareness was paramount to the WSP team and essential for the delivery of a successful project.” Throughout the project, consideration was given to the construction impacts of this project to the community and stakeholders, which enabled diligent coordination between the community and the construction team.

Satisfaction and Relief
The public reaction has been one of satisfaction and relief. “The tunnel is a success on multiple levels,” Jaramilla said. “It is operating as intended and it is assisting in the construction staging for some separate instream improvement projects currently underway downstream from the inlet.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel — who visited the tunnel during construction in April 2017 and detonated a blast during his tour that was used to excavate the remaining rock near the bottom of the shaft — returned for the recent grand opening ceremony.

Note: The MWRD was a financial partner in the Albany Park project.

A comprehensive communication plan ensured that the construction team and community partners could proactively resolve potential impacts from construction operations and align efforts with the best interests of the community.
https://www.wateronline.com/doc/tunnel-protects-chicago-neighborhood-from-flooding-0001?vm_tId=2106943
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“New leadership among MWRD board – Kari K. Steele president, Chicago Crusader
Summary: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners has elected new leadership officers among its nine-member governing body. Commissioner Kari K. Steele was nominated by outgoing President Mariyana Spyropoulos and elected president by unanimous decision, culminating a meteoric rise at the MWRD that began as a laborer, water sampler and lab technician to eventually the top of the MWRD board room. Thanking the Board of Commissioners and staff for support, newly elected President Steele said she was humbled by the honor to lead the MWRD.
https://chicagocrusader.com/new-leadership-among-mwrd-board-kari-k-steele-president/

“Steele Elected President of Water District Board,” Journal & Topics
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) made history Jan. 10 when its nine-member board unanimously elected Commissioner Kari K. Steele as the first African-American woman to lead the $1.1 billion agency. President Steele brings to the board her unique qualifications as a chemist, environmentalist, and a former employee of the district. As the newly elected president, she will lead one of the largest wastewater management agencies in the world.
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/steele-elected-president-of-water-district-board/

“Commissioner Kari Steele Named New President of MWRD Board,” Patch
Summary: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners has elected new leadership officers among its nine-member governing body. Commissioner Kari K. Steele was nominated by outgoing President Mariyana Spyropoulos and elected president by unanimous decision. Thanking the Board of Commissioners and staff for support, newly elected President Steele said she was humbled by the honor to lead the MWRD. Included in her team of elected officers for the two-year term positions will be Vice President Barbara McGowan and Chairman of Finance Frank Avila, who were both elected unanimously to continue serving in their current position. Vice President Barbara McGowan is the longest tenured member of the Board of Commissioners, serving since 1998. Commissioner Avila is the second longest-tenured member, having been first elected in 2002 and re-elected again in 2008 and 2014. Passing off the presidential role of leadership to President Steele, Commissioner Spyropoulos said she was honored to serve as president for the last four years. She was previously chairman of Finance for two years, having been first elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2016.
https://patch.com/illinois/skokie/commissioner-kari-steele-named-new-president-mwrd-board

“New Leadership Among MWRD Board Vaults Kari K. Steele to President,” Water Online

Summary: The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Board of Commissioners has elected new leadership officers among its nine-member governing body. Commissioner Kari K. Steele was nominated by outgoing President Mariyana Spyropoulos and elected president by unanimous decision, culminating a meteoric rise at the MWRD that began as a laborer, water sampler and lab technician to eventually the top of the MWRD board room. Thanking the Board of Commissioners and staff for support, newly elected President Steele said she was humbled by the honor to lead the MWRD. "This is much more than a job for me," President Steele said. "The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago is part of what makes me who I am and represents the people and places that I am proud to serve. I thank my fellow commissioners and staff members for their support and look forward to carrying on the excellent tradition of the MWRD and working hand in hand with our exceptional clean water team." Included in her team of elected officers for the two-year term positions will be Vice President Barbara McGowan and Chairman of Finance Frank Avila, who were both elected unanimously to continue serving in their current position.
https://www.wateronline.com/doc/new-leadership-among-mwrd-board-vaults-kari-k-steele-to-president-0001

“From the WEF President: Why Do You Do What You Do?,” WEF
“What do you do for a living?” It’s a common question that comes up pretty quickly in a conversation with someone new. This is a great conversation starter because it is generally innocuous, unlike questions on, say, politics, or one’s favorite judge on “The Voice.” Getting to the heart of why we work for water Try following up this question with another: “Why do you do that job?”

Thomas Kunetz, WEF President 2018–2019

I like doing this when I meet someone new and I’m feeling inquisitive (and perhaps little mischievous). I get all sorts of answers, from practical reasons such as, “there was a job opening” or “it’s a family business”; to more intentional responses such as, “I’m passionate about it”; to grandiose proclamations such as, “I want to make everyone, everywhere happy.” Often, my follow-up question throws people for a loop. I regularly hear that the individual needs more time to think about the question, and I rarely get a response from this new acquaintance. It seems the concept is not something many people think about consciously. As you read this, I suspect you are pondering how you would answer these questions. If you ask what I do for a living, I respond that I am an environmental engineer. If you ask why I do this job, the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) makes it easy for me to answer: because water’s worth it.
Rallying around the WATER’S WORTH IT message
At WEFTEC® 2018 in New Orleans, Jenny Hartfelder, WEF immediate past president, relaunched WEF’s WATER’S WORTH IT® campaign. This was welcome news to many members and WEF Member Associations (MAs) who had grown to truly identify with that message. So, it’s worth repeating: WATER’S WORTH IT. This message resonates with so many of us because it is more than just a campaign. It is more than a slogan. It is our rallying cry, our raison d’être, or reason for being. We get up every day and go to work, and we volunteer our time to WEF and MAs because WATER’S WORTH IT. At its core, this broad-based messaging campaign helps bring attention to the importance of clean water and the infrastructure that supports it as well as the essential work of water professionals. It reveals how our actions, attitudes, and the things we most value are so closely connected with water. Read more about this People–Water Nexus in my October column, “From the President: Activating the People–Water Nexus.” The goal of the WATER’S WORTH IT campaign is to have the public make a connection between the essential services water professionals provide every day and the things it values most:

• Health and safety,
• A clean environment,
• A strong economy,
• Stable job growth, and
• Quality of life.

The campaign is built on five pillars that explain the “why” of WATER’S WORTH IT:

• Our respect,
• Our effort,
• Our passion,
• Our health, and
• Our future.

Together, the five pillars justify how water is a precious, limited resource that needs our care. WEF created a colorful website that describes each of the five pillars in detail and provides fact sheets and messaging materials that you can download and use at your organization or MA. Find these resources at www.watersworthit.org. Click to learn more about the WATER’S WORTH It campaign. Like all good messaging campaigns, WATER’S WORTH IT can be viewed on several levels and reaches multiple audiences. Decision-makers are encouraged to support infrastructure investments now to secure our future. The general public is asked to build a foundation of awareness about the value of recovering resources from used water, and the necessity of accepting water reuse as common practice. And water professionals are asked to communicate the value of water with our actions. Although water professionals live the WATER’S WORTH IT message every day, I believe we are the most important audience. In his book “Start with Why,” organizational consultant Simon Sinek contends that the most inspiring organization, “thinks, acts, and communicates from the inside out.” Successful organizations start by knowing why they exist and operate, letting their actions come from that core belief. Individuals can act the same way. If we each start by understanding and accepting why WATER’S WORTH IT, this will drive our behaviors and actions. Our actions will communicate our core beliefs outside of our organizations. Others will gravitate toward our cause and pick up on the message that WATER’S WORTH IT. They will do so not because they care about our organizations or the water sector, but because they care about themselves. They will want to be associated with something bigger than themselves, something that has a reason, something that can boldly answer their question, “why?” Why do you do what you do? Be prepared with a response, because I may ask you some day.
— Thomas Kunetz, WEF President 2018–2019
https://news.wef.org/from-the-president-why-do-you-do-what-you-do/

“Jen Wasik addresses chlorides,” WCGO

Jen Wasik, on the right, speaking at the Bridgehouse Museum last summer.

Summary: On Jan 12, MWRD Principal Environmental Scientist Jen Wasik discussed the history of the MWRD and addressed the chloride salt issue on WCGO 1590 AM with show hosts Ron Cowgill and Robbie Ehrhardt. Jen also speaks annually at the Bridgehouse Museum.
https://www.mightyhouse.net/archives.asp?videoFileName=RTMP%3A%2F%2F65%2E182%2E170%2E131%3A80%2FMightyHouse%2F2019Jan12-689-12-Jan-19-Jen-Wasik-MWRD%2Eflv

“The Water Zone,” Los Angeles
Summary: Last Thursday, Jan. 10, MWRD Assistant Director of Monitoring and Research and Water Environment Federation (WEF) President Tom Kunetz was a guest on a Los Angeles radio program called the “Water Zone,” which has 36,000 listeners and 100,000 online followers. He discussed the work of the MWRD, success of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, the metagenomics study with Argonne National Laboratory, resource recovery, diversity and the water workforce, public outreach, WEF and funding for infrastructure. Tom’s interview begins at the 31:25 mark.
http://podcasts.kcaastreaming.com/water/.

“Why one woman in Robbins drives to her front door,” Metropolitan Planning Council
Flooding poses a frequent challenge for those around Midlothian Creek. A new cross-agency partnership boosts capacity and promises to make use of all that water. While participating in community workshops in the Village of Robbins, located in south Cook County, I met a woman whose front yard floods even after a moderate rainstorm. The house, which was built by her grandfather, can withstand the floods and no water enters her home. When the yard is flooded, though, she has to pull her truck up to the front door to get inside. Flooding is not a new problem for Robbins, nor for other municipalities in the Calumet region, which is characterized by its flat topography and clay-rich soils. It’s a common occurrence for her, and therefore just a nuisance. In more extreme storm events, such as when several inches of rain fell over the course of three days in late February 2018, the mayor has to coordinate municipal staff to rescue residents by boat. The source of flooding, Midlothian Creek, offers protection against a 5-year storm. Anything more than that and the creek overflows its banks and spreads out across the landscape. The technical definition of a 5-year storm is an event which has a 20% probability of occurring in a given year. But when residents of Robbins check their phones and see 100% probability of rain, all they’re thinking is “What is the percent probability of me getting water in my basement… again?!” Flooding is not a new problem for Robbins nor other municipalities in the Calumet region, an area encompassing the far south side of Chicago and 37 municipalities in south Cook County. The area is characterized by its flat topography and clay-rich soils, resulting in poor drainage. Although there are local and federal programs to fund flood relief projects, and local agencies offer a variety of technical assistance programs, the problem persists. Why? Robbins, like other resource-strapped municipalities across the nation, struggle to muster the capacity to keep day-to-day operations running, much less plan or implement long-term measures to improve their resilience. Robbins’ problems aren’t for lack of trying: Starting with the nationwide loss of industry in the 1970’s and ‘80s, Robbins has seen a precipitous decline in population and, with it, a loss of property tax income and other vital sources of revenue. The Municipal Capacity strategy paper, released jointly by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) and the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) in 2017, identifies property tax base as a major indicator of a municipality’s ability to generate sufficient revenue and, in turn, of its economic health. Due to population loss, Robbins officials and staff have seen their tax base shrink, resulting in their team being under-staffed and under-resourced, two factors which severely inhibit their ability to get things done. Mayor Tyrone Ward of Robbins is deeply invested in his community, but he also has a full-time job; the mayor is a middle school teacher by day and comes into Village Hall after finishing grading and preparing the next day’s lessons. Then he works late into the evening on village affairs. His staff, likewise, are mostly employed only part-time. They struggle to achieve long-term objectives for the village because short-term imperatives take precedence. Even when planners and outside agencies produce plans, and even when those agencies assist with implementation, the plans see limited success in Robbins. Agencies such as the Regional Transportation Authority, The Center for Neighborhood Technology, and MPC have released well-intentioned, well-informed plans over the years, but their adoption has been spotty. Why? Robbins needs staff with time prioritized to tackle issues besides just the immediate pressing needs of running the municipality. A new approach in Robbins: Multi-agency collaboration is about more than just flooding

Conceptual rendering of Robbins wetland park, TOD and industrial corridor

When the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) selected Robbins for a flood mitigation project, it quickly became clear that business-as-usual flood mitigation solutions would not suffice. Simply digging a hole in the ground and moving on would not address the larger systemic issues facing the community. MWRD chose to approach the problem holistically and engaged SOM, an architecture and urban planning firm, to imagine how the investment in stormwater infrastructure could be leveraged to catalyze other positive change in Robbins. Their plan envisions a wetland park which will offer much-needed open space amenities, connection to a transit-oriented development (TOD) near the Robbins Metra station, and a chance to revitalize the village’s industrial corridor. MWRD’s ability to implement the bold vision, however, was limited by their jurisdiction, which extends to stormwater management and protecting water quality. As a result, they worked to form a broad coalition of partners to bring the vision to reality. Robbins, like other resource-strapped municipalities across the nation, struggle to muster the capacity to keep day-to-day operations running, much less plan or implement long-term measures to improve their resilience. To inform the design of the wetlands park, a team from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) was funded by the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust to lend their expertise in community engagement and host community workshops. Simultaneously, CMAP and the Regional Transportation Authority both selected Robbins as part of their technical assistance programs and partnered to develop plans for the TOD and industrial corridor. For construction, MWRD approached the workforce development arm of OAI, Inc., which applied for and received a grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Chi-Cal Rivers Fund to work on the first phase of construction. OAI will hire and train Robbins residents to do the work, helping them to develop valuable skills and improve future employment opportunities. In short, this project is about collaboration. A diverse array of agencies and funders are collaborating to support the village and help them to take a leading role in the plan’s implementation. This collaborative model is necessary to address our region’s most intractable problems and one which MPC also employs across all of our program areas. It can be seen in our involvement with Elevated Chicago and our work on Equitable Transit-Oriented Development, our Cost of Segregation report and the recommendations in Our Equitable Future, partnering with CMAP on a municipal capacity pilot program, the upcoming Drinking Water 1-2-3 municipal academy, engaging stakeholders through monthly Calumet Stormwater Collaborative meetings, and more! Whether ensuring that one woman does not have to pull her truck up to the front door after a small rainstorm, improving equitable access to opportunities, securing sustainable revenue for transportation infrastructure or an adequate supply of safe and clean drinking water, MPC partners across jurisdictions to form coalitions and unlock necessary funding to meet communities’ most pressing needs head-on. Together, we can overcome our region's most intractable problems.
https://www.metroplanning.org/news/8665/Why-one-woman-in-Robbins-drives-to-her-front-door

“Red-Tail Hawk Rescued At Stickney Water Reclamation Plant,” WBBM News Radio
Andy O'Neill and his coworker were working at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant on Tuesday afternoon when they found an unexpected visitor who got stuck on top of one of their tanks. "We saw a red tail hawk on one of our towers and he was dirty and stuck. We're not sure how he got there. He maybe got into one of our tunnels and got messed up," O'Neill said. O'Neill said the bird was in distress and was tangled and covered in gunk.

"We had a water spray bottle and we tried to get some water on him, to clean him up, but it wasn't working. We got a garbage can and put him in there, put a painter's tarp over there, called our boss and our boss called Animal Welfare," he said. O'Neill said rarely to do they find any birds or animals on the plant. He was just glad he and his partner were in the right place at the right time. O'Neill has been a pipe coverer for 20 years and has never come across something like this. "All of a sudden you come up on something like that and you're more freaked out than anything. Then you're like, jeez what do we do? What are you going to do? We couldn't let him sit there and die. You try to do the right thing. I'm glad we were there for him. I'm hoping the little guy will be okay," he said. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District tweeted a picture of the bird. His feathers a bit wet and ruffled but a spokesman said he's in good hands at the Stickney Animal Care and Control.

https://wbbm780.radio.com/articles/red-tail-hawk-rescued-stickney-water-reclamation-plant?fbclid=IwAR2cOrA-DDN0gtQtvHtM4KqaRkCdtfs0CU6f4JqNQmKILG5tBH89tUy2zVc

“Village unveils 2019 infrastructure plan,” Forest Park Review
Summary: Stressing that no general fund dollars will be spent, Forest Park Village Administrator Tim Gillian and Village Engineer Jim Amelio unveiled an $8.5 million infrastructure plan for 2019 at the Dec. 17 Village Council meeting. Almost all of the funding for the plan, which includes two major projects, would come from tax increment financing (TIF) funds and grant money. Heading the list are a $3.5 million multi-faceted project in the Brown Street TIF District on the north end of the village and a $2.7 million sewer separation project at the south end. Of the $8,560,072 estimated total project costs, $5,159,795 will come from TIF funds; $2,030,107 from grant funds; $812,170 from the Village Improvement Program (VIP) fund; and $558,000 from the water fund. The VIP fund is a debt service fund committed to public infrastructure improvements. Amelio, of Christopher Burke Engineering, said the Brown Street TIF project includes televising and cleaning the sewers and developing and implementing a sewer repair/lining program from information gleaned from the televising. In addition, the project includes replacing a six-inch water main on Circle Avenue from Harlem Avenue to Franklin Street with an eight-inch water main; a sewer separation project that would redirect storm water from the existing combined sewer; sidewalk repairs and pavement patching; and security measures around the north water tower at 7421 Franklin. A gateway sign on Harlem at a location to be determined also is being considered. "We're still in the very early stages" of planning, Amelio said, adding resurfacing "the entire area" is being considered. The entire cost of the project will be covered by money from the TIF fund, which has $4.6 million available. The Brown Street TIF District was created in 2000 and will expire in 2023. The district includes primarily the area between Central Avenue, the village's northern border, and Franklin and between Harlem and Lathrop Avenue. The south area sewer separation project is contingent on a $1.1 million reimbursement from the Phase II Stormwater Management program of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD). Gillian explained that the village has received notification that the funds have been awarded but have yet to finalize the intergovernmental agreement with the MWRD. "We fully expect that will be coming on down the line," he said. Amelio termed the application process as "very competitive" and noted that Forest Park is one of 14 recipients from 64 municipal townships and county agencies that applied. A total of $66.8 million was awarded to address flooding issues. The project types under Phase II include the installation of green and gray infrastructure, localized detention, upsizing critical storm sewers and culverts, pump stations and establishing drainage ways. An MWRD spokesman said preference was given to "shovel ready" projects or projects which have a completed or nearly completed design. The remainder of the south area sewer separation project costs will be covered from the Roosevelt/Hannah TIF fund. The project, which Gillian said would help mitigate some of the flooding problems, would entail separating the combined sewer on Circle from Roosevelt Road to 16th Street and eventually redirect the storm water into the Des Plaines River after connecting with an existing storm water sewer at 15th Street and Hannah Avenue. Amelio explained that the project would benefit not only properties on Circle but also other properties in that area because there will be less of a burden on the combination sewer. The village also is planning to revive two projects that have been on hold for four years, resurfacing the CTA Blue Line parking lot and installing a backup generator at the pump station on Hannah, according to Amelio and Gillian. Amelio explained that the village had received notification that grant funding would be provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity but funding was frozen in 2014 due to the state's budget impasse before either project could be undertaken. He added that he is optimistic that funding will be reinstated in the spring, allowing the village to undertake the projects. Estimated costs are $550,000 for the parking lot project and $250,000 for the backup generator. If funding is not reinstated, both projects will remain on hold, according to Amelio. Additional funding from the MWRD will help with construction of a "green" alley in the Elgin-Marengo alley between Lexington and Harvard streets. The grant will cover $123,830 of the estimated total cost of $280,000 with the remainder coming from the VIP Fund. When the alley is replaced, the center 6 feet will consist of permeable pavers to help stop storm water runoff; the rest will be concrete. In addition, the alley will have perforated catch basins to maximize storm water infiltration into the ground. Together the green infrastructure installations will provide a total design retention capacity of 28,841 gallons of storm water per rain event. The green alley will be the third in the village, joining the 500 block alley between Thomas and Beloit avenues and the 100 block alley between Harlem and Elgin Avenue.
https://mobile.forestparkreview.com/News/Articles/1-1-2019/Village-unveils-2019-infrastructure-plan/

“Christmas in the wards makes dreams come true for 500 Chicago families,” Chicago Crusader

Summary: Larry Huggins, CEO of Riteway-Huggins Construction Inc., founded Christmas in the Wards (CITW) 22 years ago and in those years CITW has brought smiles, tears of joy, and the true spirit of the holidays to thousands of deserving at-risk families in impoverished neighborhoods across the city. “As adults we know that there is a deeper meaning and purpose for Christmas and the holiday season. However, it’s heartbreaking to see children with sad and empty faces because they don’t expect to receive a single gift during this time. Unfortunately, for so many children in our community these days – this is their reality due to circumstances beyond their control,” says Huggins. Through a network of giving corporate and business partnerships, CITW has generated over $2 million to provide warm clothes, toys, books, school supplies, computers and other electronic gifts for needy families, children and community residents in Chicago. 2018 proved equally benevolent, this year successfully raising over $200,000 in monetary and in-kind sponsorship donations.  In addition, scores of CITW ‘Holiday Elves,’ consisting of employees of sponsoring corporations and participating organizations such as ComEd, Starbucks and Walsh Construction, volunteered their own free time to wrap presents prior to the gift distributions. Once again this year, major local Chicago sponsors partnered with CITW to ensure that each child who showed up at their December 15 and December 22 give-away events, held at Malcolm X College and Olive Harvey College respectively, received presents for Christmas. When the 2018 CITW families arrived at both extravaganzas, they were ushered into a large room decorated as a Christmas fantasyland and treated to complimentary photos with Santa sponsored by Walgreens and a holiday-themed breakfast, courtesy of Walmart. Upon entering the auditorium, children and adults alike uttered loud squeals of astonished delight, as they saw a huge mountain of several hundred brightly wrapped gifts, including hundreds of bicycles, televisions, clothes, and sought-after gaming electronics, dolls, trucks and other toys to greet them. MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan helped distribute Christmas gifts and toys along with Illinois Governor-Elect J.B. Pritzker, event emcees Tanya Francisco of WGN TV; Carolyn Palmer, Chicago Defender newspaper, LaRoyce Hawkins, star of the hit TV show Chicago PD, and legendary comedian Michael Coylar. Also joining the festivities were City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado; Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle; Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel; Congressman Bobby L. Rush, (1st); Congresswoman Robin Kelly (2nd) and 7th District Congressman Danny K. Davis;), CITW Co-Chairs: Alderman Carrie Austin (34th Ward) and Alderman Michelle Harris (8th Ward) were joined by local south and west side aldermen, including: Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd); Ald. Sophia King (4th);  Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th); Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th); Ald. Greg Mitchell (7th); Ald. Anthony Beale (9th); Ald. Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10th); Ald. Raymond Lopez (15th); Ald. Toni Foulkes (16th); Ald. David Moore (17th); Ald. Derrick Curtis (18th); Ald. Willie Cochran (20th); Ald. Howard Brookins (21st); Alderman Michael Scott (24th); Alderman Walter Burnett (27th); Alderman Jason Ervin (28th); Alderman Chris Taliaferro (29th); Alderman Emma Mitts (37th); and. Corporate and business partners included AFS Properties, Tito’s Vodka and law firm Winston Strawn, Walmart, Walgreens, WGN-TV Channel 9, and COMED.
https://chicagocrusader.com/christmas-in-the-wards-makes-dreams-come-true-for-500-chicago-families/

“Tunnel Vision,” Slate

Construction workers lean in to discuss the project over the noises echoing throughout the Deep Tunnel. David Schalliol

Summary: That the Chicago River is reborn, that its tree-shaded promenades are thronged with strolling families, that new buildings turn toward the water and old buildings have opened new windows to face it, that people kayak in what was once an open cesspool in the middle of downtown—all of this is a point of pride here. People laughed when then-Mayor Richard J. Daley said in the ’70s that he’d one day like to see people grilling freshly caught fish on the river’s banks. Though it would have seemed insane in 1980 (or 1880), people do fish in the Chicago River today, and the number of species to be found here has multiplied tenfold in the past four decades. That’s because Chicago built a second river, an infernal reflection of the first, tracing its course hundreds of feet below ground. Altogether, 109 miles of subway-size tunnel lie beneath Chicago and its suburbs, covering more miles than the L, culminating in three suburban reservoirs (not the kind you drink from). This is the Deep Tunnel, formally the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, and it may be the world’s most ambitious and expensive effort to manage urban flooding and water pollution. It is a project, in the visionary tradition of Chicago engineering, to bottle rainstorms. According to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the agency that built and runs the project, the tunnels and reservoirs protect 1.5 million structures from flooding, in addition to keeping sewage out of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River. Though not quite finished (the tunnels are done, the reservoirs are not), the scheme has been and is being imitated in cities like Milwaukee, St. Louis, D.C., London, and Guangzhou, where the concept, 50 years after it was undertaken in Chicago, is seen as the state-of-the-art solution to flooding damage and water pollution.

Construction workers exit the Deep Tunnel. David Schalliol

Note: There have been virtually no CSOs in the Calumet and Kirie areas since completion of the Majewski and Thornton Reservoirs, we capture approx. 5 billion gallons during each storm in the yet to be completed McCook area, and cities all over the world are replicating TARP.
https://slate.com/business/2019/01/chicagos-deep-tunnel-is-it-the-solution-to-urban-flooding-or-a-cautionary-tale.html