Created in 1889, the District built canals that reversed the flow of the Chicago River away from Lake Michigan, protecting the public drinking water supply and eliminating waterborne diseases prevalent at the time. The District later built wastewater treatment plants to collect and treat all the wastewater in the area.

The District has continued with new technology and foresight in construction of the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP), for the capture of combined sewer overflows that would otherwise discharge to the inland waterways and the Sidestream Elevated Pool Aeration (SEPA) stations to add more oxygen to the waterways. With these and other innovations, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago proudly continues its commitment to protect Lake Michigan and the inland waterways.

[Plaque on the left]
Civil Engineering Monument of the MillenniumAmerican Society of Civil Engineers - 1852
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago'sWastewater System
One of the finest examples of how civil engineering ingenuity shaped the development of society's quality of life in the 20th centuryDesignated: September 19, 2001
[List of Commissioners on front of the monument]
Commissioners
Terrence J. O'Brien, President
Kathleen Therese Meany, Vice President
Gloria Alitto Majewski, Chairman of Finance
John C. Fernan, General Superintendent
Frank Avila
James C, Harris
Barbara J. McGowan
Cynthia M. Santos
Patricia Young
Harry "Bus" Yourell

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.