Addison Creek Flooding Addressed by Water Reclamation Board

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting - June 1, 2017

Highlights of meeting:

• A purchase order was approved to acquire parcels of land and to contract with a law firm to represent the District in acquiring these  property rights in connection with the construction, operation and maintenance of the Addison Creek Channel Improvements Project.  This project involves the municipalities of Northlake, Stone Park, Melrose Park, Bellwood, Westchester, and Broadview and will reduce flooding along Addison Creek in these towns.  Approximately 2,200 properties should expect relief from flood damage.
• Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant (HPWRP) is a waste water, raw sewage treatment facility.  This plant owns 200 acres, known as Fischer Farm, adjacent to HPWRP.  "This farmland also includes 100 usable acres for growing corn, oats and soybeans.  Solids produced at this HPWRP are recycled as soil conditioner for the farm fields."  MWRD received authority to award Contract Farming to Oros & Busch Application Technologies,  Their services include land application of waste water residuals.  
• The Chatham Neighborhood of Chicago is an area where basements are prone to flooding.  It is also common for the yards and streets to be flooded.  The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) has already been working in this neighborhood to address the flooding with community groups and residents suggesting practical and affordable improvements such as repositioning downspouts, adding rain gardens and backflow preventers to help keep property dry.  The MWRD entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with and will make payment to the City of Chicago to share the cost of a research pilot study in this neighborhood to reduce basement backups and flooding.  The pilot study will evaluate up to 40 homes for a combination of flood control devices and passive storage systems and be headed by CNT.  

Resolutions:

• The Board officially recognized the "Recovery on Water" rowing team that uses the Chicago waterways,  for the positive impact it has made on the lives of many breast cancer survivors. For more information on Recovery on Water.
• The Board also recognized the Veterans of WW II especially at the 73rd Anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 1944 and Honor Flight Chicago.
• Chicago landscape photographer Brad Temkin was congratulated by the Board on being named as a 2017 Guggenheim Fellow for his project  "The State of Water", containing photographs of MWRD infrastructure and other cities' water management infrastructure. 

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These items were deferred from the agenda:

• Purchasing of new and replacement computer hardware from HP Inc.
• The resolution recognizing Dr. Lakhwinder S. Hundal's 25 years of service and contribution to the field of soil and water environment.

Observer: Michele Niccolai