Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting 
October 16, 2025

Special meetings: 2 special meetings of the Board
The Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago meet twice, once in the afternoon of October 16 and also on the morning of October 17th.  The purpose of both meetings was to consider candidates to fill the vacancy in the office of MWRD Executive Director. The meetings were called to order and immediately closed for executive sessions. No action was taken by the Board following either executive session.  The district is currently led by interim Executive Director John Murray.  The previous Executive, Brian Perkovich, retired.

Board Action on October 16 at scheduled Board Meeting

Stormwater: 

• Item #39 25-0778 The Board agreed without discussion to pay the City of Markham to acquire a flood-prone property in an amount not to exceed $450,000.
• Item #28 25-0773 The Board approved without discussion a contract with the engineering firm Bowman Consulting to design a flood control project in Northfield township in an amount not to exceed $2.2 million. That stormwater project, approved previously, will address a 3-mile corridor extending from Glenwood Ave. in Glenview to the Chicago River near Oakton Community College.  It is intended to provide flood relief for 114 single and multi-family residences.

Real Estate:

• Item #15 25-0752 Authorization to accept initial annual rental bid by Sanchez Group to lease 13 acres of District lands bordering the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal near the Stickney water treatment plant for a 39-year term for $396,084. This item was pulled for discussion by Commissioner Brady-Davis, who asked staff what benefit could come from allowing such a lengthy lease and how would the rent be adjusted during the least term? Staff replied that long-term leases were preferred so tenants could invest in improvements on the land.  MWRD attorney Susan Morakalis explained rents are adjusted annually with the Consumer Price Index as benchmark and the property value is re-assessed every ten years. The item was returned to the consent agenda.
• Item #19 25-0751 The Board authorized without discussion the sale of less than an acre of District land located at 6861 North Milwaukee Avenue in Niles, Illinois, setting a minimum sale price of $92,130. The parcel is part of the former Niles pumping station near the Des Plaines River. 

Large purchases:

• Item 25 25-0753 The Board approved without discussion awarding Kemira Water Solutions, Inc.  a contract for $21.6 million to furnish and deliver to the District an unspecified amount of Ferric Chloride.   The chemical is used in wastewater treatment for phosphate precipitation and as a coagulant as well as for odor control.  

Forever Chemicals:

• Item 33 25-0745. Authority to increase Contract 25-105-11 Laboratory Analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Adsorbable Organic Fluorine in Wastewater samples to Enthalpy Analytical, LLC in an amount of $36,300 from $63,500 to an amount not to exceed $99,800. Commissioner Waller pulled this item from the agenda for discussion.  She praised staff and the district for continuing to pursue research and sampling for PFAS chemicals and said that she looks forward to the ability for in-house testing with reports available to the public. The item was then returned to the consent agenda.

New Business:

• President Steele told the Board plans were being made for celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, with details available soon.  
• Commissioner Davis thanked staff for their work in a ground-breaking wetland mitigation project in Sauk Village in Chicago’s southern suburbs.  
• The Water Reuse Association of Illinois recognized Commission Waller for her passion in the pursuit of a controlling IL law that will allow expanded re-use of treated water.   The MWRD was given an award for its collective efforts.

Observer:  Laurie Morse          Commissioner Garcia absent           Meeting length: 32 minutes

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Board Meeting 
August 14, 2025

​In opening public comments, Tessa Murray of the Friends of the Chicago River announced the first annual Chicago River Open Water Swim, slated for September 21, and sponsored by the Friends.  She thanked the Board for the vision and investment of the MWRD for making the river clean enough for human contact, saying even a decade ago such an event would have been unthinkable at a time when people considered the River an extension of the sewer system.  She credited new EPA water quality standards enacted in 2018 and the MWRD’s compliance as instrumental in creating conditions allowing the first Chicago River swimming event in more than a century.  She said access to swimmable rivers enhances recreation opportunities for all urban residents. In addition to swimming, the cleaner river now boasts 77 different species of fish.

Agenda Items Discussed

• Commissioner Davis pulled agenda item 2. 25-0631 asking for a roll call vote and saying he intended to vote no on a motion to hire David Ormsby, Inc as public relations consultant for an additional year at a cost not to exceed $48,000.  In discussion Commissioner Davis and Commissioner Waller said they thought the District would benefit from someone with different skills in this position.  Commissioner Flynn countered, saying the firm was qualified.  The motion passed, with Davis the only Commissioner to vote no. 
• Commissioner Davis also pulled agenda item 14. 25-0621 which authorized paying annual membership dues of $35,000 to the Chicago Area Waterways Chloride Workgroup.  The Commissioner understood this was to be a temporary working group, and asked when it’s work, and the need for dues, would end.  Staff explained the importance of the MWRD’s lead working with municipalities reducing salt impacts on waterways, and acting Executive Director Murray said he expected to group to continue indefinitely. The item was returned to the agenda and approved.
• Commissioner Garcia pulled item 39. 25-647-11, a $1.2 million dollar boiler service contract without discussion, and asked for its deferral. The deferral passed in a roll call vote.

Items approved without discussion:
Stormwater Management

• ​Item 17. 25-0590 The Board agreed to seek bids to purchase Rain Barrels at an estimated cost of $450,000.   
• Item 40. 25-0578 The Board awarded a $2.2 million contract to construct a Green Schoolyard Pilot project at Burnham Elementary School to Foundation Mechanics LLC and other partners. The project, which combines stormwater management with a new playground in Burham, was approved to go out for bid at the October 17, 2024 Board meeting.  
• Item 18.  25-0593 The Board agreed to seek bids to rehabilitate the Upper Des Plaines Intercepting Sewer at a cost between  $16.1 and 19.5 million dollars.

Pollution Control-Phosphorus Removal

• Item 48.  25-0609 The Board agreed to increase the amount of a previously contract award to IHC Construction Companies LLC to modify phosphorus removal equipment at Battery D of the O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, to $15.5 million from the previous $15.4 million; an increase of $117,170,72.

New Business

• President Steele announced three ribbon-cutting events celebrating MWRD project completions, including a dam removal at Salt Creek in DuPage County; completion of a new levy providing flood relief to 29 structures in Glenwood; and green alley stormwater management projects in Markham.

Observer:  Laurie Morse                No Executive Session Held         All 9 commissioners in attendance

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)
Board of Commissioners Meeting 
May 15, 2025
Public Speakers

• Speakers from the Calumet Harbor area environmental group, ETHOS, asked the MWRD to monitor water pollution issues that could occur at the old US Steel site at 8080 S. Lake Shore Drive.  The last EPA soil tests are from the 1990s.  The group wants to get updated testing on the soil and is concerned that disturbing the soil during construction will lead to massive air and water contamination.  

Agenda Items Discussed

• Com. Waller pulled items #11&12, 25-0349, 25-0351 to make sure that when the MWRD hires attorneys to begin the process of eminent domain in flood areas, that they are required to do community engagement plans that include small group education, in addition to town hall-style meetings.  Director Murray assured them that MWRD requires small breakout groups to give community residents a chance to ask questions before a larger meeting occurs.  He will forward communication plans.
• Coms. Brady-Davis and Waller discussed item #28 25-0365, The Bally’s casino development at the old Chicago Tribune plant on the Chicago River.  Com. Waller was concerned about ensuring public access and emergency egress, while Com. Brady-Davis was thankful that the MWRD was proactive at the site.  Director Murray said this is not MWRD land and so it has no Chicago River jurisdiction other than to protect MWRD infrastructure.
• Coms. Davis and Waller discussed item#32, 25-0398, the sub-lease of land by Lakeshore Recycling Systems to ORA composting.  Com. Davis was concerned that ORA could be an SIU (significant industrial user of water), while Com. Waller wanted to make sure emergency egress was possible at the site.  Director Murray assured her that a marina was adjacent to the site.  The board will be apprised of water usage by ORA.

Stormwater Management

• Passed without comment were 15 intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) for stormwater management through green alley re-pavement and roads with Arlington Heights, Berwyn, Calumet City, Cicero, Countryside, Forest Park, Glenview, LaGrange Park, Lyons, Markham, Maywood, Oak Park, River Forest, River Grove, and Westchester. 
  
• The board also passed an IGA with the Forest Preserve for land acquisition, concept planning, and engineering for a multi-benefit flood control project located in Southeast Cook County

New Business

• Com. Waller announced the PFAS regulation bill moved from the house to the senate, HB 2516, with Julie Morrison as sponsor.  She urged people to call their senators to get the bill passed. 
  
• Com. Davis announced the Federal cuts by 90% to EPA Clean Water Revolving Funds ($3billion).

No Executive Session Held                               All 9 commissioners in attendance
Observer:  Amy Little

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD)
Board Meeting
April 17, 2025

The request to advertise a contract to furnish and deliver lamps and emergency lighting was deleted by the Acting Executive Director (Agenda Item # 18, 25-0294).  All other agenda items were approved, with no discussion of the merits.  

• Ann Hokum of ETHOS (Environment, Transportation, and Open Space, a registered block club in the South Shore Community) raised concerns about the proposed Quantum Computing development at the South Works site and the potential toxic pollutants at the site that could impact Lake Michigan through storm water run-off.  The group is also concerned about the issue of industrial water usage at the site and wants to make sure there is a closed system used to prevent any discharges.
• Commissioner Waller did pull the reappointment of two people to the MWRD’s Ethics Commission for discussion, but in order for an explanation as to how the public can find out how to submit a complaint to the Ethics Commission.  Acting Executive Director John Murray said that the information is on the MWRD web site.  Note:  This Observer did a search on the MWRD web site and found the information is located at https://mwrd.org/what-we-do/management-and-administration/ethics-commission-and-ethics-advisor
• During the New Business section, President Steele and Commissioners McElroy Kirkwood and Brady-Davis talked about the MWRD’s trip to Springfield the prior week to meet with legislators of both parties to lobby for their legislative priorities.  Commissioner Waller mentioned one bill that the MWRD supported, HB2515, that has passed out of the House and is now in the Senate.  This bill is called the PFAS Wastewater Citizen Protection Act.

While not discussed, there were 2 items pertaining to Stormwater Management:  

• A report on submittals from municipalities and townships seeking assistance through the MWRD’s Voluntary Flood-Prone Property Acquisition Program (Agenda Item #29, 25-0308.)  There were 3 submissions, identifying 40 properties.  After review, 2 of the 3 proposals in Lyons and Markham are recommended as projects, but for a total of 22 properties.  There will be a subsequent request for Board approval to negotiate intergovernmental agreements.
• A request for authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of La Grange Park for the MWRD to fund $4 M of the total estimated cost of $13.2 M for a Central Area Sewer Separation Project.  This project is expected to mitigate flooding, benefitting an estimated 522 structures, and to reduce impacts on local roadways by increasing sewer capacity ad providing detention for excess stormwater runoff.

Length of Business Meeting:  30 minutes, with an Executive Session of 1 hour and 10 minutes prior to New Business at the end of the meeting.

Observer:  Priscilla Mims

Metropolitan Water Reclamation Water District (MWRD) Board Meeting  
February 6, 2025

Commissioner Cam Davis deferred authorization to continue an $80,000 payment to the CC Sheriff’s office Prescription Drug Take-Back program.  He noted that in January of 2022,  the Illinois Legislature passed a law to shift the cost of take-back programs to the Pharmaceutical Companies and asked what progress staff has made to effect this change.  He is open to passing the resolution for a period of 2-3 months, and noted that when, in the past, he asked staff when it would be ready, he was told “we will look into it”. President Steele voiced her strong support for the intergovernmental agreement and noted that 95.5% is for administrative costs. Waller noted that it would likely be the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association that would be the contact and the one responsible for payment. Several commissioners asked for more information including the legislative text, a 2-year invoice of costs, next steps/ timelines.   #24 25-0082

Other Items of Interest

• Attorney, Jeffrey Mathis, was appointed as a Hearing Officer for hearing appeals under the MWRD’s User Charge Ordinance; for conducting proceedings under the Sewage and Waste Control Ordinance and the Watershed Management Ordinance; and for conducting other administrative proceedings as needed.   #1 25-0102
• The Board approved Ordinance 025-002 directing the County Clerk to reduce the levy of taxes on Capital Improvement Bonds for the levy year 2024.  Commissioner Brady-Davis thanked the Treasurer for the reduction and for saving taxpayer money.  #2 025-002
• Cam Davis asked about the cost/benefit of approving Staff’s request to accept pricing for the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits for 2025 and 2026. The Director of Operations & Maintenance said it would result in an $800,000 cost of energy savings for the District.  #7 25-008
• The Board authorized payment in the amount of no more than $100,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the MWRD’s share of the cost for the Upper Des Plaines River and Tributaries Study.  Commission Waller used this as an example of the type of items she would like to see be “hot linked” in the agenda to provide more information and transparency to the public. President Steele asked the Executive Director to meet with Commissioner Waller and bring forward a proposal to the board for consideration.  #23 25-0106
• Approval was granted to settle an eminent domain easement lawsuit for $197,500 to be paid  from the Stormwater Management Fund for the Addison Creek Channel improvements project. #25 25-0110
• Approved a contract not to exceed $7.14 M to haul processed biosolids from two plants. 
  
•       Meeting Length:  45 minutes    NO Executive Session     No Public Speakers    
  
•  Three Commissioners were absent [Garcia, Brown, Sepulveda]

​Observer - Diane Edmundson