[Communications] MWRD FLOW - JUNE 2021

[Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago]

 June 2021 | Issue 10 For the Love Of Water (FLOW) is a summary of news from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.  In this edition: Latest News MWRD raises Pride flag at Main Office Building, seven water reclamation plants Upcoming Events Board of Commissioners to meet Thursday, June 3 at 10:30 a.m. Upcoming pharmaceutical collection, paper shredding and electronic take back opportunities Household Hazardous Waste collection set for Saturday, June 12 in Glencoe Live, virtual tour set for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 15 Resources Monarch butterfly seeds Free oak saplings Visit the MWRD's Virtual Library MWRD releases new video to highlight investments during United for Infrastructure Week "A Healthy Waterway Begins with You. A Guide to Water Wellness" "The Green Neighbor Guide" "Where Does IT Go?" Educational Materials available for students (K-12) and adults Report waterway blockages, suspicious dumping and odors to 800-332-DUMP (3867). News and Notes MWRD cleans the river for Chicago River Day WaterPalooza is looking for student videos Historical Photo of the Month Latest News MWRD raises Pride flag at Main Office Building, seven water reclamation plants The MWRD Commissioners and staff raised the LGBTQIA+ flag June 1 at the Main Office building and for the first time at all seven water reclamation plants in honor of Pride Month.   The MWRD staff and commissioners have been advocates in assuring equal access and opportunities for employees and MWRD contracts, expanding the benefits and healthcare coverage for same sex couples and participating in the annual Chicago Pride Parade. Read more at this link. Upcoming Events Board of Commissioners to meet Thursday, June 3 at 10:30 a.m. Due to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Disaster Declaration and pursuant to Public Act 101-0640, the MWRD will hold its Board of Commissioners’ Regular Board Meeting by video conference at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 3. The MWRD Board Room and building will remain closed to protect the health and safety of the public and staff; only essential personnel will be allowed entry. To view the meeting and public hearing and to comment, visit our website at https://mwrd.legistar.com/calendar.aspx. Public comments may be made during the public comment period by calling (312) 751-3299. Comments may also be made by registering under the eComment link during the live meeting. Electronic comments will not be read during the meeting but will be provided to the Board electronically. If you would like to view the live stream of the meeting, click the "In Progress" link under the Video Column. The "In Progress" link will only be active when there is a meeting in session. Upcoming pharmaceutical collection, paper shredding and electronic take back opportunities Household Hazardous Waste collection set for Saturday, June 12 in Glencoe The village of Glencoe and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will be collecting household hazardous waste from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., June 12 at the Metra lot, 290 Park Ave., Glencoe. See the list of what waste is acceptable and reserve a drop off time at this link. Join us for a live virtual tour at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 15 On June 15 at 10 a.m., travel back in time to early Chicago to see how we reversed the Chicago River and developed wastewater treatment technology. Go behind the scenes and under water to see how we transform the water you use every day; descend 300 feet into the Deep Tunnel system, and watch our electrofishing crew at work sampling fish on the Chicago River.  Our virtual tours are free and open to the public. Please register at this link. In the photo: Tour guide Justin Brown and son Eli. No time on June 15? Click here to watch a one hour pre-recorded tour. Resources Save the monarchs The MWRD has partnered with the Illinois Monarch Project to help save monarch butterflies from becoming extinct. Populations have rapidly declined due to habitat loss and climate change, resulting from development, poor land management practices, and heavy reliance on pesticides and herbicides. Milkweed, the sole source of food for monarch caterpillars, has also declined.  Take our online pledge to help save the monarchs. While supplies last, we will send you a complimentary packet of milkweed seeds (available to Cook County residents only) when you complete and submit your pledge. Free oak saplings to Restore the Canopy The MWRD is distributing a variety of red, pin, white and black oak trees at our water reclamation plants every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon.  The saplings might be small now, but with care and a little watering and patience, oak trees can grow up to 50 to 80 feet tall. Depending on root growth, the saplings can stay in the pot for months before planting in a larger pot or in the ground with moderate watering each week to keep soil moist but not soggy. The MWRD encourages tree keepers to avoid power lines and structures when planting.  Trees can help mitigate flooding. A medium-sized oak tree can help prevent flooding by absorbing 2,800 gallons of rainfall per year. In addition to managing stormwater, trees are vital to our environment for many reasons. They have the potential to reduce air pollution, improve health and well-being, and keep neighborhoods cooler; create a sense of community; lower energy bills; increase property value; provide protection from wind; buffer noise; provide shade; increase habitat for wildlife; absorb carbon dioxide; and give oxygen.  MWRD Commissioner Cameron Davis explains the value of trees in this short video. Visit the MWRD's virtual library MWRD releases new video to highlight investments during United for Infrastructure Week “Infrastructure investments to address odors at Stickney Water Reclamation Plant” During national United for Infrastructure Week was last month, the MWRD released a new video highlighting its commitment to addressing wastewater treatment, odor control measures and infrastructure investments to improve quality of life for its neighbors. Featuring MWRD Commissioner Marcelino Garcia, the video focuses on the MWRD’s many initiatives to manage odors that arise during the natural biological process to treat wastewater at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant (WRP), one of the world’s largest wastewater treatment facilities. The video can be view on the MWRD's YouTube Channel in Spanish and English. Read the press release. "A healthy waterway begins with you. A guide to Water Wellness" Help protect the waterways. Read “A healthy waterway begins with you: A Guide to Water Wellness” to learn what actions you can take to help keep contaminants out of the waterways. Download a copy today. "The Green Neighbor Guide" Does water pool on your property when it rains? Learn specific steps you can take to manage the flow of stormwater on your property. Implementing green infrastructure may be beneficial to reducing the amount of water that accumulates. Rain barrels, bioswales, rain gardens, and dry wells help to capture excessive rainwater You may also consider installing permeable pavement driveways and paths, as well as disconnecting downspouts. Download "The Green Neighbor Guide” to learn more about these tools, including how to install them. "Where Does IT GO?" “它去哪了？ "Where Does IT Go?" tells the story of three young water explorers who travel in a magical ship through MWRD pipes, sewers and tanks that are used to clean dirty water. Click here to download the book and watch the video. The animation is now available in Chinese! Watch the animation. “它去哪了？ 这是三个年轻的水资源探险家的故事，他们乘坐一艘神奇的车，穿过大芝加哥大都会水资源回收区的管道、下水道和水箱。加入到这个特殊的任务中来，学习小便，大便和厕纸去哪里的奥秘！ Other educational materials for students available:  mwrd.org/k-12 and mwrd.org/education/publications. View other videos on our YouTube channel: Terrence J. O'Brien Water Reclamation Plant video tour https://youtu.be/oJ4IbCBf7g0 MWRD Sustainability Summit 2020 https://youtu.be/o-8JbD1l3lw How To Install A Rain Barrel https://youtu.be/ZKD3bqIItpE News and Notes MWRD Maintenance Laborers Rudy Payne and Derrick Goodloe joined Engineering Technician V Mario Campos on a MWRD boat to transport approximately 15 cubic yards of trash for proper disposal during Friends of the Chicago River's 29th annual Chicago River Day last month. Be a 2021 H20 Hero! Do you know a budding cinematographer? Did the student in your family ever want to direct a movie? The Water Environment Federation is holding a water-themed video contest for students. Videos are due Wednesday, June 30. Learn more here. Historical Photo of the Month Historical Photo of the Day: Workers and a concrete mixer during the construction of the Cal-Sag Channel on September 8, 1915, looking west in an area between La Grange Road and Route 83. Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | mwrd.org ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | 100 E. Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60611 Unsubscribe communications at chicagocommunitygardens.org Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by public.affairs at mwrd.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!
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