[remote or in person] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Utilities

Thursday, May 1, 2025
10:30 a.m. — 12:30 p.m. CDT

View meeting details

Add to iCal

Add to Google Calendar

100 East Erie Street Chicago 60611 (Directions)

Remote Event Link

You have the option to document this meeting in person or remotely, via live stream.

If you attend the meeting in person, an additional hour will be added to your pay for this assignment. You will be required to go through a metal detector and show government-issued photo ID.

If you choose to document this meeting remotely, visit/refresh https://mwrd.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx at the scheduled meeting time. A link labeled “In Progress” will appear under the Video column for the corresponding meeting (though it may not be until at or a little after the scheduled start time).

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Mare Ralph

The commissioner recognized Geoffrey Baer for his contributions educating Chicagoans about the important work of the MWRD through his WTTW specials exploring Chicago.

View notes

Live reporting by Samuel Lisec

The commissioner recognized Geoffrey Baer for his contributions educating Chicagoans about the important work of the MWRD through his WTTW specials exploring Chicago.

Samuel Lisec

Hi! Board commissioners from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago are meeting today and I’ll be providing a live-report for #CHIdocumenters @CHIdocumenters, an org created by the Chicago nonprofit newsroom City Bureau. citybureau.org/documenters

citybureau.org/documenters

10:36 AM May 1, 2025 CDT

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 2/14

@CHIdocumenters For those who aren’t familiar, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) was first created in 1889. It’s governed by a state agency to oversee water quality/treatment in all of Cook County, not just Chicago.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 3/14

@CHIdocumenters Remember how the Chicago River’s flow was reversed in 1900? The MWRD was responsible for that, and currently boasts an annual budget of $1.4 billion for infrastructure projects, one WTTW report said. news.wttw.com/elections/vote…

news.wttw.com/elections/vote…

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 4/14

@CHIdocumenters The MWRD board carries nine commissioners, with Kari K. Steele serving as president. Commissioners are elected every two years for six-year terms.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 5/14

@CHIdocumenters Today’s agenda states that the board will discuss, among other things, contracts for pipes, purchases of manhole covers, a study for rehabilitating a reservoir and property rights for maintaining a storm water basin.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 6/14

@CHIdocumenters This board meeting started on time at 10:30 a.m. on May 1, 2025, in its headquarters at 100 East Erie Street. There’s about 40 people in the audience, and four stationed uniformed police officers (which seems heavy to me for the relatively small board room/meeting.)

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 7/14

@CHIdocumenters There was only one taker for public comment, a spokesperson from the Friends of the Chicago River nonprofit who thanked the board for its investment in “Green Infrastructure” projects ahead of the fifth annual Chicago Water Week.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 8/14

@CHIdocumenters Before digging into the agenda, the board discussed a resolution honoring WTTW reporter Geoffrey Baer for his work highlighting the MWRD’s work and waterways on television. “Thank you for the mostly invisible work that you do to protect us 24/7,” Baer said.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 9/14

@CHIdocumenters The board recessed for a closed executive session at 11:10 a.m. but is now back in order. Commissioner Steele noted that WMRD will host free educational tours of its Calumet Reclamation Water Plant from noon to 3 p.m. on Sat, May 10. No RSVP is required.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 10/14

@CHIdocumenters One commissioner noted that Chicago River Day is set for Saturday, May 10. City staff and volunteers will be cleaning up over 75 river sets from 9 a.m. to noon. You can learn about getting involved with Friends of the Chicago River. chicagoriver.org/get-involved/v…

chicagoriver.org/get-involved/v…

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 11/14

@CHIdocumenters Otherwise, the 26 items on the board’s agenda were all approved unanimously by commissioners through one single vote. As mentioned, the various items concerned various contracts—including for HVAC improvements, roof inspections, janitorial supplies.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 12/14

@CHIdocumenters What otherwise sticks out to me from the agenda was the approval of disbursing $62.5k worth of funds to settle two different worker’s compensation claims against the MWRD. Also, one commissioner questioned when the agency’s 2024 Dashboard will be back online with information.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 13/14

@CHIdocumenters All in all, today’s MWRD meeting involved thanking WTTW’s Baer for highlighting the agency on the news, approving a general lot of maintenance services in one swoop, and light discussion from commissioners about upcoming events like River Day/reclamation center open houses.

Samuel Lisec @smllisec 14/14

@CHIdocumenters With that, the MWRD board adjourned at 11:45 p.m. This concludes the agency’s May 1 regular board meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2025. For more public meeting coverage, check out . Thanks for following! documenters.org

documenters.org

View thread

Attachments

3 attachments

Board page

By Rachel Birkhahn-Rommelfanger ⋅ April 3rd, 2025

MWRD May 1, 2025

By Samuel Lisec ⋅ May 1st, 2025

WTTW's Geoffrey Baer poses for a picture with MWRD's board members. Baer …

MWRD Board of Commissioners meeting 05-01-25

By Mare Ralph ⋅ May 1st, 2025

Agency Information

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

mwrd.org

(312) 751-6633

public.affairs@mwrd.org

@MWRDGC

See Documenters reporting

Created in 1889 as the Sanitary District of Chicago, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) today is a special-purpose district responsible for treating wastewater and providing stormwater management for residents and businesses in its service area, which encompasses 882.1 square miles and includes Chicago and 128 suburban communities throughout Cook County.

The MWRD serves approximately 10.35 million people each day, including 5.25 million residents of Chicago and 128 suburban communities. To learn more about the agency’s management structure and departments, click here.