MWRD Board Approves 2025 Legislative Priorities

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting  
​December 19, 2024

In a 70-minute meeting the board approved several important resolutions and heard public comments from four individuals.   The 2025 budget remained virtually the same at $1.7B.  The corporate fund increased to account for non-union pay raises and the construction fund went down.  The updated draft of the Watershed Ordinance was lauded by Friends of the Chicago River for retaining volume control protection, and the User Charge Ordinance was updated to clarify definitions and inclusions such as adding showers to water carrying human waste and clarifying the definition of process wastewater.
Board discussion focused on Item 37-1120, the 2025 Legislative Initiatives.  Six (6) items were approved: 

1. Amend the District Act to increase the amount of debt that can be issued through bonds in any given year from $150 to $250 million.  The last change was in 2003, and the cost of construction projects/materials have significantly increased in the twenty plus years – as has inflation. 
2. Under the Act, change the word “secretary” to “aides” to more accurately describe employees working directly for individual commissioners.
3. Amend the Illinois Environmental Protection Act to ensure wastewater reuse can be utilized for industrial purposes - a step towards encouraging the industrial reuse of treated municipal wastewater from publicly owned treatment works. 
4. Amend this same act to create a statewide PFAS TRUST FUND to reimburse publicly owned treatment works including drinking water utilities and the MWRD for all PFAS direct and indirect  costs.  MWRD recommends that the IL Association of Wasterwater Agencies takes the lead.
5. Identify opportunities to support legislation pertaining to the following concepts:  Disadvantaged Business Enterprise utilization, water reuse, and PFAS.  The Board has identified these priorities as it is expected that subject legislation will be introduced in 2025.
6. Amend the District Act to create the position of Deputy Executive Director.  The Executive Director currently oversees nine departments and reports to nine commissions.  Adding the position would allow for the managing of day-to-day operations.

Newly elected Commissioner Waller identified a specific senate bill that she wanted added to the priority list which, if enacted into law, would turn off the faucet on PFAS’ discharge into Illinois waterways (SB 88).  The law department’s General Assembly liaison noted that it could not be added to the priorities list but could be brought as an individual item for board support.

Commissioner Brady-Davis commented on Item #38 24-1133 thanking the staff and noting that this is “environmental justice in action”.   #38 is an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Chicago for the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the LeMoyne and Maypole Underground Storage Program at a cost not to exceed $6 million.

There were no deletions or deferrals to items on the agenda.  Without discussion, the board also approved the 2025 payment of $181,584 to the Water Research Foundation for its annual research commitment; Advertise for an estimated $5 to $6 million dollar contract for raw sewage discharge pipe support modifications for pumps; and a $200,000 purchase order for Mimecast advanced threat security support.

Requests:  Commissioner Davis requested a memo on the breakdown of authorities and responsibilities in regards to the demolition collapse into the Chicago River. MWRD was notified but Chicago is in charge.

Observer - Diane Edmundson