MWRD Board Meeting - February 18, 2016
Length: 1 hour

Significant Topic Discussed:
There was interesting discussion about the District negotiating  and entering into a contract with Clearas Water Recovery Inc. for a period of five years. (Agenda Item #9)  This company has a proprietary process for the removal and recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen from effluent using algae. The interesting part of this process is that the byproduct is algae biomass, which can be harvested and and converted into a saleable commodity (bioplastics and bio-based industrial acids).  Due to its size, the Hanover Park WRP is better suited for installation of this demonstration project therefore this process will be piloted at the Hanover Park WRP.  There were questions from two commissioners on money generated from sales, ability to exit contract, and other byproducts that could be harvested from the process. 

Other Observations:
The meeting began with a resolution to recognize the 23rd Annual African American Contractors Association Annual Membership Awards.  This was followed by recognition by the Government Finance Officers’s Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to the District for 2015 Excellence in Financial Reporting.  The District has received this award for 31 consecutive years!

The consent agenda contained 47 items, with one item deleted.  The Board approved all consent items presented. 

Observer: Peggy Kell

MWRD Board Meeting -  February 4, 2016

There are odor issues at Thornton Quarry that the MWRD is taking steps to remedy before the Spring rains come.  They will purchase 13 additional solar mixers to better aerate the combined sewer overflow water in the reservoir that fills the Thornton Quarry during and after a heavy rain event.

MWRD will also purchase “odalogs” or odor detectors, for the Thornton Reservoir to better monitor low levels of Hydrogen Sulfide in the air immediately surrounding the reservoir.  The odalogs (and shelters to house them) will be placed around the perimeter of the old quarry.

There have been a dozen calls from households in Harvey over a month’s period for December through January, complaining about odors.It was suggested that odor results be posted on local towns’ websites which are adjacent to the Thornton Quarry, including Harvey, Homewood, Thornton, and South Holland.  There are currently MWRD “hotline” contacts on these towns’ websites to be able to report any odor issues.

The odalogs may be repurposed for any other MWRD site with odor sensitivity due to combined sewer overflows when the need arises.

The 13 mixers will join seven already existing mixers that are anchored to the quarry floor and float on the surface of the liquid to mix the water in order to eliminate rotting odors.  This total of twenty mixers is thought to be sufficient to aerate the water in the reservoir.  

Since smells were already detected in the winter, the MWRD finds it urgent to install both the detection machines and the mixers before the Spring rains begin.

Observer - Amy Little