[Communications] MWRD FLOW - MAY 2021

Tue May 4 18:15:35 CDT 2021

 May 2021 | Issue 9 For the Love Of Water (FLOW) is a summary of news from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.  In this edition: Planting Seeds of Solidarity: May is Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Now Showing: "Where Does IT GO?" Animation MWRD funding agreement will help protect lakefront shoreline Board of Commissioners to meet Thursday, May 6 at 10:30 a.m. Household Hazardous Waste collection event in Glencoe set for Saturday, June 12 GFOA honors MWRD for financial excellence Inaugural Environmental Resource Fair held in Hanover Park Educational Materials available for students (K-12) and adults Partner Highlight: Orland Park Public Library Historical Photo of the Month Join us for a live virtual tour at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11 "The Green Neighbor Guide" is available Good reading: Water Wellness Save the monarchs Earth Month 2021 recapped; MWRD kicks off free tree distribution program A Mother's Day Extravaganza is set for Saturday, May 8 Shred-a-thon is set for Saturday, May 15 Report waterway blockages, suspicious dumping and odors to 800-332-DUMP (3867). May is Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month To celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month this year, the MWRD will express its support to the Asian American community and honor Asian American women elected officials. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth; State Representatives Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Theresa Mah and Denyse Wang Stoneback; and MWRD Commissioner Josina Wing Morita are this year’s honorees. Commissioners and MWRD staff are distributing seeded bookmarks. Once planted and blooming, the flowers will serve as a reminder that there is no room for hate and that we must all stand together to support our diverse community. In addition to the bookmarks, the MWRD will distribute “Where Does IT Go?” storybooks in Chinese. Written and published by the MWRD, the book introduces students to the Water Science Explorers, a cast of fictional characters who learn what happens after they flush the toilet. The book teaches students about the wastewater treatment process and careers in water while offering enriching STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) activities. In addition to the Chinese version, the book is available in English, Spanish and Polish. If you are an educator or Scout leader in Cook County and are interested in a “Where Does IT Go?” virtual presentation for your students (grades four and up) and/or a limited supply of printed books for your classrooms, please email communityeducation at mwrd.org. MWRD Commissioners Josina Morita (far left) and Mariyana Spyropoulos (far right) delivered the first batch of Chinese language educational materials to Haines Elementary School, Ward Elementary School and Piu Tak Christian School on May 4. Now Showing: "Where Does IT Go?" Animation We are excited to announce the release of our new children’s animated feature “Where Does IT Go? Adventures with the Water Science Explorers.” The story is educational entertainment for students enrolled in the fourth grade and up. Viewers learn about the wastewater treatment process and are introduced to careers in the water sector. Please watch and share the video with your family, friends, and colleagues, and share your feedback on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Be sure to tag the MWRD. #MWRDWhereDoesITGo #WaterScienceExplorers #wastewatertreatment Click here to download the book and watch the video. MWRD funding agreement will help protect lakefront shoreline High Lake Michigan levels and damaging waves threatened to overwhelm the shoreline and Lake Shore Drive near 49th Street in Chicago last year. The MWRD will financially aid shoreline improvements that are being made by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Chicago Department of Transportation. Read more at this link Board of Commissioners to meet Thursday, May 6 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, May 6. 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. Household Hazardous Waste collection set for Sat., June 12 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. Learn what waste is acceptable and reserve a drop off time at this link. GFOA honors MWRD for financial excellence The MWRD has continued its unblemished streak of delivering reliable, informative, responsible and transparent budgets and annual reports that mark a healthy financial state of affairs. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada has honored the MWRD with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2020 Budget and Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the MWRD, the MWRD Retirement Fund and the MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust for 2019 Annual Reports.   The MWRD has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for a remarkable 45 consecutive years, placing the MWRD in the top two percent of governments receiving a consecutive award. The MWRD Retirement Fund and the MWRD Retiree Health Care Trust have received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for 27 and 13 consecutive years, respectively. The MWRD has also received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 36 consecutive years. The honor is considered one of the highest forms of recognition in government budgeting and demonstrates the effectiveness of the budget as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.  Watch the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award video on our YouTube channel at:  https://youtu.be/GNlTbKeB6BA. Inaugural Environmental Resource Fair held in Hanover Park MWRD Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda was joined by MWRD President Kari K. Steele, Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos and other elected officials to kick off an inaugural Environmental Resource Fair at the new Liberty Park in Hanover Park last week. Other elected officials in attendance included: Schaumburg Township Supervisor Timothy Heneghan; Hanover Township Trustee Khaja Moinuddin; Hanover Park Trustee Herb Porter; Hanover Park Park District President Mark Elkins; U-46 Board Member Eva Porter; Schaumburg Township Trustee-Elect Lauren Saternus and Hanover Park Trustee-Elect Yasmeen Bankole. Cook County Commissioner Kevin B. Morrison served as an event partner. Other partners included Hanover Township, Schaumburg Township, Schaumburg Township Library, Illinois Monarch Project, Schaumburg Monarch Initiative and American Association of Retired Asians. Read more at this link. In the photos, above: MWRD Commissioner Eira L. Corral Sepúlveda; to the right (L-R): Commissioner Sepúlveda, President Kari K. Steele and Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos. Educational Materials available for students (K-12) and adults Find educational materials for students:  mwrd.org/k-12 and adults: 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 Partner Highlight: Orland Park Public Library Thank you to the Orland Park Public Library for recently inviting the MWRD to lead a Stormwater Management webinar. Edward Jankun, Associate Civil Engineer in the Collection Facilities/TARP section, provided a virtual presentation about the work that the MWRD does to manage stormwater, clean wastewater and recover valuable resources. Historical Photo of the Month In this photo, a steam scraper removes topsoil in an area between Montrose Avenue and Lawrence Avenue in Chicago on May 21, 1904. The MWRD straightened and enlarged a portion of the North Branch of the Chicago River at the beginning of the 20th century in order to improve drainage and reduce flooding. This original section of the river was a relatively small, curved and meandering stream between Lawrence Avenue and Belmont Avenue. By the end of the project, some portions of the river were widened and deepened and other areas were filled in and replaced by a completely new channel. Learn more about the Chicago Area Waterway System on our website. We post a historical photo daily on our social media channels, so follow us if you'd like to see and learn more about the daily rigors our predecessors captured through the use of glass plate negatives. Join us for a live virtual tour at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 11 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. No time on your schedule? Click here to watch a one hour recorded tour. "The Green Neighbor Guide" is available Spring is here! Make plans now to manage the flow of stormwater on your property. Consider whether installing a form of green infrastructure would be beneficial to your goals. Rain barrels, bioswales, rain gardens, and dry wells are effective forms of green infrastructure; they help to capture excessive rainwater on your property. You may also consider installing permeable pavement driveways and paths, as well as disconnecting downspouts. Download "The Green Neighbor Guide” today to learn more about these tools, including how to install them. Good reading: 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. 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.  Earth Month 2021 recapped MWRD kicks off free tree distribution program MWRD Commissioner Cameron Davis and volunteers from Evanston helped kick off our "Restore the Canopy" (RTC) tree distribution program by planting oak saplings along the North Shore Channel on April 18. Watch the video then pick up your free saplings from one of our water reclamation plants every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to noon. “Not only do trees provide a beautiful green canopy for our communities, but they also serve as a powerful and effective form of green infrastructure that helps us manage increasing amounts of stormwater,” said MWRD Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos. “We encourage everyone to stop by our water reclamation plants on Wednesdays to pick up a free sapling.”    This year the MWRD is distributing a variety of red, pin, white and black oak trees. The saplings might be small now, but with sufficient 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. Trees 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.  The MWRD Board of Commissioners encouraged the public to schedule their COVID-19 vaccinations through social media posts during Earth Month. A Mother's Day Extravaganza is set for Sat., May 8 Please mark your calendar and wear your favorite hat for 37th Ward Alderman Emma Mitts' "A Mother's Day Extravaganza" on Saturday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan and staff will be among the participants, and they will be sharing new storybooks and other MWRD resources. If you haven't received your COVID-19 vaccination yet, you may receive yours at this event at no cost. Free COVID-19 testing will also be available. Remember to wear your mask, and social distancing is required. For more information, call the 37th Ward Office at 773-379-0960. Shred-A-Thon is set for Sat., May 15 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | mwrd.org ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago | 100 E. 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