MWRDGC Mission, Operational Goals and Accomplishments !

To keep pollution out of Lake Michigan:

• No sewer discharges to the Lake
• Collects and treats 520 billion gallons of waste water annually
• Services 5 million residents, and a commercial and industrial equivalent of another 4.5. million people

To keep pollution from our rivers and inland waterways:

• Tunnel and Reservoir Plan
• Tunnels Phase I consist of 109 miles of tunnels, 101 miles have already been completed and are operational. Last 8 miles will be on line in March, 2006.
• Three Major reservoirs
• O'Hare CUP Reservoir completed October 1998, storage capacity 350 million gallons
• Thorton Reservoir, estimated completion date 2014, Storage capacity 7 billion gallons.
• McCook Reservoir estimated completion date Phase I 2013, storage capacity 3.5 billion gallons, Phase II 2019, storage capacity another 3.5 gallons, Phase III 2024, storage capacity another 3.5 billion gallons for a total of 10.5 billion gallons when finally completed.
• This plan is intended to collect raw sewage and storm water from 438 existing combined sewer outfalls (CSO's) within the City of Chicago and 52 suburban communities surrounding the City of Chicago.

To control commercial and industrial waste discharges to the sewers and waterways of the District:

• Development of the Sewage and Waste Ordinance that specifies limits on the quantity and quality of waste that can be discharged into the District's sanitary systems by Industrial users.
• Approximately 100 personnel working daily to monitor industrial discharges and the areas waterway system.
• Implementation of a Pollution Hotline number 1-800-332-DUMP for citizens to report illegal dumping and other activities near sewers and waterways.

To maintain our facilities and infrastructure ensuring that they remain an asset to the communities in which they are located:

• 7 modern and effective waste water treatment plants.
• 554 miles of intercepting sewers.
• 23 pumping stations
• 32 flood control reservoirs
• We ensure long term reliability and cost effectiveness, through preventive maintenance, constant modernization and planned replacement of equipment

To control staff growth and minimize costs through cost effective management and operations:

• Implementation of sound management principles and cost effective technology .
• Work force reduction of full-time personnel by 22.4 percent, since 1980.

To improve recruiting, hiring, and development of a dedicated work force, including minorities and women:

• Minorities in the District work force have increased to a current level of 38%, which corresponds favorably with Cook County's labor force.
• Women in the District work force have increased to 27%, which is 1% greater than Cook County's labor force .

To keep energy costs to a minimum:

• Since 1995, the District's total expenditure rates for natural gas and electricity have been held below the general inflation rate despite increased work loads and escalating utility rates.
• This has occurred through energy conservation programs and more energy efficient equipment and technology.

To continue our Affirmative Action Programs:

• The District's program will ensure the full and equitable participation by minority, small, and women's business enterprises in the performance of District construction contracts.
• 1990, the District was the first major Cook County Government to adopt a revised Affirmative Action Ordinance.
• Our methodology was chosen by United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and distributed nationwide to all USEPA grant recipients for their use in formulating their own availability analysis.

- Information above is from the MWRDGC 2006 Budget Recommendation Document.

Paid for and authorized by the Friends of Terrence J. O'Brien.
A copy of our report is (or will be) available from the Cook County Clerk
69 W Washington Street, Chicago, Il 60606. And the Illinois State Board of Elections,
Contributions are not tax-deductible.