Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Historical Photo of the Day: Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 9, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. Request an in-person tour for your community or school group ⬇️
https://mwrd.org/education/tours
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Happy International Women in Engineering Day!

Today, the MWRD celebrates the women engineers who bring innovation, expertise and leadership to the field of engineering. Their contributions help advance solutions that protect public health, strengthen infrastructure and safeguard our region’s water resources.

Thank you to the women engineers making an impact today and inspiring the next generation of problem-solvers.


Inwed1919

📷 The South Branch of the Chicago River and the railyard for the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad on September 5, 1905, viewed looking north from Eighteenth Street.

📣 Join our virtual tour on Tuesday, July 14, from 2-3:15 p.m. to travel back in time to early Chicago and see how we reversed the Chicago River and developed treatment technology. Go behind the scenes and underwater to see how we transform water, descend 300 feet into the deep tunnel system, and watch our electrofishing crew at work sampling fish on the Chicago River. Register here ⬇️
https://mwrd.org/education/tours/virtual-tours
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Join us for the MWRD Monitoring and Research Seminar on Friday, June 26 at 10:30 a.m.

"California’s Rise to Resilience in a Changing Climate"
Felicia Marcus, William C. Landreth Visiting Fellow, Water in the West Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

The MWRD hosts a seminar series at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant that is open to the public. These seminars are eligible for Professional Development Credits/CEUs.

In person: Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, Lue-Hing R&D Complex, 6001 West Pershing Rd., Cicero, IL. Reservations must be made at least 24 hours in advance by emailing [email protected] or calling 708-588-4264 or 708-588-4059.

Virtual: On June 26, for the seminar link visit:
https://mwrd.org/education/monitoring-and-research-seminar-series

Details: https://mwrd.org/events/monitoring-and-research-seminar-28

🐝 Happy Pollinator Week! Native plants help create habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies while also supporting healthier communities by absorbing rainwater and improving water quality. 🌱

The MWRD encourages residents to plant native wildflowers and help protect pollinators. Learn how you can get wild with native plants: https://mwrd.org/community-action/native-landscaping/get-wild-commit-native-plants-and-help-protect-pollinators.

11 a.m. Storm Update: MWRD’s TARP systems manages heavy rainfall

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has been working around the clock to capture billions of gallons of stormwater that have fallen across Cook County during recent storm events. According to the National Weather Service, the latest storm event had rainfall amounts that ranged from 0.7 inches at O’Hare International Airport, 1.7 inches at Midway International Airport, and nearly 2 inches in southern Cook County. Due to recent rain events, the MWRD TARP systems are holding nearly 9 Billion Gallons of stormwater, which is enough water to fill 13,600 Olympic-Size swimming pools.

The massive TARP infrastructure protects the region’s water environment and mitigates sewer overflows and basement backups for more than 3.71 million people served by combined sewer systems in the Chicago area. TARP consists of three reservoirs and four tunnel systems. As of 11 a.m., there had been no combined sewer overflows in Chicago area waterways. Here is the breakdown:

The McCook TARP system is approximately 92 percent full, holding 4.7 billion gallons. The McCook Reservoir has 3.5 billion gallons of capacity and serves central Chicago and 36 municipalities covering 252 square miles on the Des Plaines and Mainstream Tunnel Systems.

The Calumet TARP system is approximately 48 percent full, holding 4.1 billion gallons. The Thornton Composite Reservoir has 7.9 billion gallons of total capacity, including 4.8 billion gallons of combined sewer capacity, serving 91 square miles on the Calumet Tunnel System, covering the South Side of Chicago and 13 south suburban municipalities.

Majewski Reservoir is empty. The Majewski Reservoir has 350 million gallons of total capacity, serving 11 square miles on the Upper Des Plaines Tunnel System, covering Arlington Heights, Des Plaines and Mount Prospect.

Learn more at MWRD.org/News:
https://mwrd.org/news/11-am-storm-update-mwrds-tarp-systems-manages-heavy-rainfall

Three new contract opportunities!

Contract 22-602-21: Underground Storage Tank Improvements at Various Locations

Contract 26-915-11: Furnish, Deliver, and Change Out Media in the Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Vessels at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant

Contract 26-RFP-01: Energy Curtailment Services

Review details: mwrd.app/Cntrctann

Learn more: mwrd.org/doing-business/procurement-and-materials-management

Update: All Clear.

Thank you for conserving water to provide more capacity in our infrastructure to manage the rainfall.

The MWRD's Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) continues to operate as designed, capturing rain fall & sewage to keep it out of local waterways & local communities serviced by combined sewer systems.

Sign up for text alerts:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/YhH2xGP/MWRDSignup

Learn more: MWRD.org/OAD



Friends of the Chicago River

Historical Photo of the Day: A view of work on the extension for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal on May 12, 1904. Construction of the four-mile extension began in 1903 and was completed in 1907. Learn more about the Chicago Area Waterway System ⚓⬇️
https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/reducing-flooding/chicago-area-waterway-system-caws

Overflow Action Alert

Heavy rain is expected in the Chicago area today. Reduce your use of water during and after the storm to help prevent flooding and protect water quality:

• Delay showers and baths
• Flush less frequently
• Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine

Flooding and sewer backups can happen for a variety of reasons. To help prevent flooding inside or around your home, there are actions you and your family can take before and during rainfall.

Learn how to prepare for stormwater at this link: https://mwrd.org/community-action/you-can-help-prevent-flooding-and-protect-water-quality.

Learn more about Combined Sewer Overflow prevention here: https://mwrd.org/community-action/overflow-action

Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alerts via text
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/YhH2xGP/MWRDSignup

Learn what you should do during flooding:
https://mwrd.org/community-action/what-you-should-do-during-flooding

For more information and explanations about how the MWRD’s infrastructure and waterway system operate, visit these links:

Learn about the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP)
https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/tunnel-and-reservoir-plan-tarp

Understand how the Chicago Area Waterway System works
https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/reducing-flooding/chicago-area-waterway-system-caws

Learn about the types of sewer systems in Cook County
https://mwrd.org/community-action/understanding-your-sewer

Request a presentation for your community
https://mwrd.org/education/speakers-and-outreach

Tour our facilities
https://mwrd.org/education/tours

Municipal partners can explore stormwater partnership opportunities
https://mwrd.org/stormwater/partnerships

The top of the MWRD’s website displays a notification if an Overflow Action Alert is active. Visit mwrd.org.

Overflow Action Alerts are a joint initiative of the MWRD and Friends of the Chicago River