MWRD soil enriches South Side community garden projects

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The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has formed a new partnership with an
urban gardening organization that will foster sustainable farming practices that will soon lead to a bountiful harvest.
The MWRD will provide its exceptional quality (EQ) composted biosolids to be incorporated at 72 community gardens overseen by the ChicaGRO Intergenerational Growing Projects organization.

The EQ biosolids are produced during the water treatment process by composting biosolids with woodchips,
which makes for an excellent soil enhancer. On May 14, the MWRD Commissioner Kari Steele and other
MWRD staff joined the ChicaGRO Intergenerational Growing Project as it turned a vacant South Chicago neighborhood lot into a backyard community garden. Located at 8450 S. Escanaba Ave., the garden will become a source of fresh produce for many residents living in what is considered a food desert.
“Because of partnerships like this, the sustainable practices started at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago can be transferred straight to our very own communities,” said Commissioner Steele, who was on hand to kick off the planting day event in South Chicago. “

Innovation of traditional technology sparks MWRD to channel cleaner Chicago waterways

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New disinfection technology from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) will push the Chicago region one step closer to direct contact of local waterways in time for boating recreation season. The MWRD Board of Commissioners, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen, other elected officials, local leaders and representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gathered Wednesday to mark this new era of cleaner waterways with a ribbon cutting at the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Skokie.

The MWRD’s O’Brien WRP introduced ultraviolet (UV) radiation to disinfect water as a final layer to its treatment
process to reduce pathogenic bacteria in the water being released from the plant into the North Shore Channel.

MWRD visit to Museum of Science and Industry sheds light on STEM careers and water treatment for future scientists

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) Commissioner Kari Steele and staff brought a lesson of water treatment to students as part of a program at the Museum of Science and Industry, but it was a more valuable lifelong lesson that MWRD officials hope will inspire a future generation of scientists and engineers.
MWRD participated in the Jr. Science Café in celebration of Black Creativity 2016, a museum program that strives to expose African American youth to careers, education pathways and other opportunities in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEM) fields. Fourth-grade students from Benjamin Mays Elementary Academy had the opportunity to interact with scientists and African American STEM professionals from the MWRD in a casual but interactive setting.

In addition to Commissioner Steele, MWRD speakers included Senior Civil Engineer Raphael Frost, Senior Environmental Microbiologist Toni Glymph-Martin and Assistant Environmental Chemist Tiffany Poole, who gave the students a hands-on tutorial into the water treatment process. MWRD Maintenance and Operations workers Tony Quintanilla, Jim Landmichl and David Robertson assembled a miniature model water treatment process for display.

 

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Water supplied by MWRD volunteers aids Great Lakes neighbors in Flint

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With protecting and improving local water quality at the epicenter of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD’s) daily mission, it came as startling news to hear about the crisis of contaminated water in Flint, Michigan. Rather than ignore the issue, MWRD commissioners and staff felt beholden to act.

In a little over a week, MWRD employees worked with the MWRD Credit Union to raise more than $6,500. They used the money to donate and personally deliver nearly 37,000 bottles of water and presented a check of $3,000 to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan in Flint.
“We are happy to lend a hand during times of need,” said MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos. “As one of the largest water resource agencies in the Midwest, commissioners and staff at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago felt that it was our responsibility to assist our Great Lakes neighbors in Flint.”

President Spyropoulos, Vice President Barbara McGowan and Commissioner Kari Steele and 16 MWRD staff, friends and family delivered the water bottles to the Food Bank and also joined the U.S. National Guard and American Red Cross in distributing cases of water to residents in need at a local fire station.

 

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