Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting​
April 16, 2026-10:30 A.M.

Agenda Items:

​#12-26-0265- Commissioner Waller asked ED Murray to outline the current benefits of membership in CURRENT. ED Murray reported that MWRD was a founding member. Current concentrates on emerging technologies and work force development. The focus is on technical development. Our membership gives the MWRD a place on the resource consortium. The National Science Foundation has given funding to the organization and there is always the possibility that the MWRD can be a possible recipient of these grants.

#23-26-0257- Commissioner Waller was pleased to see the MWRD was putting remaining BTU’s to use. ED Murray said that the MWRD uses all the energy during the winter months. He said that he would be happy to give a full report to the Board on savings. As to whether the MWRD can reach energy neutrality, the District uses a lot of energy to pump water out of the two deep tunnels. Also an aging infrastructure impacts energy use. 

#30-26-0260- Report on the Green Infra-structure: Commissioner Kirkwood asked if the MWRD reached out to every municipality. Murray said yes.  What are the requirements to participate?

1. Apply, 2) All applications are then evaluated. 3) The MWRD also helps municipalities to develop projects, if they do not have sufficient staff to complete applications themselves.

The MWRD staff does all of the evaluations in house. Projects are done on a yearly basis. Commissioner Brady-Davis asked if there have been projects done in Dolton. Murray replied that they are currently working with Dolton staff to make that happen. President Steele reminded all commissioners that they should publicize the program to community leaders when they are out and about.

Commissioner Davis asked how the work with disproportionately impacted communities is going? Murray replied that there are two staff members (one a civil engineer)  helping with outreach and that it is working pretty well.  President Steele agreed. Commissioner Davis asked if the “technical assistance” has resulted in the creation of successful projects. ED Murray committed to getting more information on this to the Board.

Deferred or Deleted Agenda Items-

Three items deferred from the April 2 Board meeting were not mentioned at the April 16 meeting. They are agenda items #4,6, & 7.
#4-26-0235- Authorization to revise Contract Change Order Policy for Capital Improvement Construction Projects.
#6-26-0216- Authority to advertise Contract 26-023-11. Furnish and Deliver Lab Chemicals to various locations. 
#7-26-0217- Authority to advertise Contract to Furnish Deliver Stem Gate Valves to Various Locations for One Year. 
These items were all deferred at the April 2 meeting by Commissioner Garcia, who was absent from the April 16,  2026 board meeting.

New Business: 

• President Steels congratulated the Office of Public Affairs for receiving a Gold Level award for education and community outreach work.
• Commissioner Davis brought up the reduction of remote work from 4 to 3 days. He said that remote work reduces stress and helps to retain a strong work force. Commissioner Waller agreed, saying that remote work promotes more diversity in the work force.

Summary of Requests for more information from the Executive Director:

1. Commissioner Brown requested a list of communities that have applied to Green Infrastructure Program in the last 3 years.
2. Commissioner Corral Sepulveda asked for a list of the communities that applied but were not approved and why.
3. Commissioner Davis requested information on the success of the District’s technical assistance to disproportionately impacted communities.

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt                    Meeting Length - 40 minutes       No Executive Session

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting
April 2, 2026; 10:30 a.m.

Board Discussion and Action:
Commissioner Garcia raised the issue of the difficulty of finding minority women vendors. He asked if the MWRD was reaching out to vendors outside of the agency’s data base. Staff replied that they also review data bases from the City of Chicago and found no firms that fit the need.  Commissioners asked if staff reached out to Cook County and to the State. It was suggested that perhaps they needed to reach  beyond the virtual to identify vendors. 
Commissioner Corral-Sepulveda asked about certification activity and about how MWRD determines how far to reach out for vendors. She asked if contractors can be certified after the contract has been adopted. Staff said yes, this “rolling” certification can be done. 
Commissioner Garcia asked that there be better reporting of the numbers and the process. President Steele requested ED Murray to include all the questions/answers on this subject in an email to the commissioners. She also reminded the commissioners that they should send their questions through the Executive Director. He will then direct them to the appropriate staff for response.  #5-0212

Commissioner Kirkwood asked why polymer is crucial. ED Murray explained that it is used in sludge thickening, separating water and solids in the production of cake.  Commissioner Waller asked if this expenditure would be required if the Red Line extension was not happening and could the MWRD recover any costs from the CTA. Murray answered that there would be no reimbursement. He explained that they would use pumps to pump sludge into a geo-pool where it settles out in fifteen days. Centrifuges are much quicker. Centrifuges are expected to be online by 2028.  #8-26-0222

Commissioner Brady-Davis expressed appreciation that the Harvey Sewer Improvements project was getting underway. This is an 18-month project. She asked how this is being communicated to the citizens of Harvey. Staff replied that communication is hard-wired into every contract.  Several commissioners asked for assurance that this communication would be happening and indeed, that those involved should “over communicate” to the citizens. Commissioner Garcia asked if there were any budgetary issues in Harvey. Murray replied that the capital funding was through grant money. Harvey is only responsible for the ongoing maintenance after project completion.     #9-26-0225

Comm. Garcia Deferred Agenda Items: # 4,6,7   All dealing with inability to find minority contractors due to specifics of need.

Duration of Meeting: 66 minutes
Executive Session: No               

Observer: Georgia Gebhardt