Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

📣ICYMI - WGN Radio AM 720: City Club of Chicago features keynote speaker, MWRD President Commissioner Kari Steele. Listen to and view the interview and speech here: https://lnkd.in/dD7pyW6y #MWRD #CookCounty #Chicago #WGN #WGNradio #CityClub #WastwaterTreatment #StormwaterManagement

MWRD Seeks Applicants For Sustainable Landscaping Awards; Applications Due September 30, 2024 The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is accepting applications from Cook County individuals and organizations for its 2024 Sustainable Landscaping Awards until September 30. The awards recognize the activities and innovations from entities such as cities and villages, schools, houses of worship, businesses and others. Qualifications for the Sustainable Landscaping award may be demonstrated through the innovative use of green infrastructure, capital investment (private and public), and public education. Green infrastructure (GI) includes: • Rainwater Harvesting, i.e. through rain barrels • Rain Gardens • Native Landscaping • Stormwater Trees • Porous Pavement • Bioswales • Green Roofs • Greenways • Wetlands • Green Alleys, Streets and Parking Lots Award categories include: 🏆 Excellence in promoting Green Infrastructure to local residents 🏆 Excellence in Green Infrastructure Partnership Program Maintenance 🏆 Excellence in new Green Infrastructure Installation Awards will be presented at the MWRD’s 12th annual Sustainability Summit to be held at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant Auditorium, 6001 W. Pershing Ave., Cicero, IL on October 29 from 10 a.m. – noon. Apply for an award: https://lnkd.in/d8yMEFNY Register for the Summit: https://lnkd.in/dBkhQyNQ For more information about the awards or Sustainability Summit, contact (312) 751-6633 📲 https://lnkd.in/gPwnsuhp #MWRD #CookCounty #StormwaterManagement #sustainable #landscaping

📣JOB OPPORTUNITIES📣 We are accepting applications for the following positions until September 27, 2024: • Applications Analyst Review job specifications and apply ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eu-NC9F Learn more about MWRD careers ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gX3yWjFu #MWRD #careers #jobs #employment #JoinOurTeam #CookCounty

Historical Photo of the Day: A view to the east showing material and workers on the deck of the Foster Avenue bridge over the North Shore Channel on August 13, 1921. Travel back in time to early Chicago and see how we constructed the Chicago Area Waterway System and developed wastewater treatment technology on our next virtual tour September 17 at 2 p.m. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gndBmh5n 🏗💧💩🧪🧫🔬🌊🌞

MWRD hosts Diverse Business Summit to strengthen business partnerships The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) reinforced its commitment to protecting the region's water environment and educating businesses on how to work with the MWRD by hosting its annual Diverse Business Summit at Malcolm X College in Chicago on September 6. This free event highlighted the vital collaboration needed to safeguard our water resources, bringing together diverse businesses and industry leaders to foster partnerships and innovation. At the Summit, MWRD leadership and staff emphasized the importance of working collectively with the business community to ensure the sustainability of the region's water systems, showcasing opportunities for diverse businesses to play a pivotal role in this critical mission. Promoting inclusion, representation and opportunity, this event encouraged entrepreneurs, professionals, industry experts and area leaders to learn more about contract and certification opportunities with the MWRD. “The Diverse Business Summit presented opportunities for entrepreneurs and professionals to tap into the MWRD business landscape that works to protect our region’s water environment,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “This is no small feat. It takes a commitment of skilled people dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout Cook County, and we are grateful to everyone’s participation to bring this collaboration to the forefront at the MWRD’s annual Diverse Business Summit.” A leader in diversity, equity and inclusion, the MWRD was one of the first local agencies to implement an affirmative action ordinance, dating back to 1978, striving to ensure fair business practices and contracting opportunities for all. The MWRD Board of Commissioners revised its Affirmative Action Ordinance in 2022 to improve and streamline its verification procedures and certification process to better accommodate potential business opportunities. The summit placed a special emphasis on the many minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, disabled-owned, and LGBTQ-owned businesses in Cook County. “We have a long history of providing a fair, inclusive and transparent process to promote diversity in our mission of protecting water quality and addressing stormwater management,” said MWRD Chairman of Finance Marcelino Garcia. “Through our Diverse Business Summit, the MWRD works to ensure competitive and equal opportunities for all business enterprises in the award and performance of MWRD contracts.” ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dJJwb3Qb #MWRD #CookCounty #Diversity #Partnerships #Innovation #Business

📣Today at noon! City Club of Chicago Presents Keynote Speaker, Kari K. Steele, President, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The live stream begins at noon at https://lnkd.in/eQviQrS. Kari K. Steele was elected November 6, 2012, to her first term as a Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and re-elected in 2018 for a second term. In January 2019, she became the first African American woman in the more than 130-year history of the MWRD to be elected by the Board of Commissioners to serve as President. She is currently serving her third term. President Steele currently serves as the Chairman for the Affirmative Action and Maintenance & Operations committees. She is Vice Chairman of the Federal Legislation; Pension, Human Resources & Civil Service; and Industrial Waste & Water Pollution committees. In 2023, she was selected to serve as a board member on the Public Building Commission of Chicago. President Steele is a chemist, environmentalist, licensed real estate broker, and a community leader. She has more than 11 years of experience working as a chemist. She started her career at MWRD as an intern, working as a water sampler and lab technician. She also has experience working as a water chemist for the City of Chicago Department of Water Management’s Jardine Water Purification Plant. This background makes President Steele uniquely qualified to discuss and analyze proposed operational changes and operational efficiencies. She is the first and only chemist serving on the MWRD Board of Commissioners. President Steele was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business in the 2023 Notable Women in STEM feature. President Steele earned a Pre-Medicine Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana. She has successfully completed the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership Training Academy (2007); the University of Illinois Institute for Government and Politics Edgar Fellows Program (2014); and the Metropolitan Leadership Institute (2016). #MWRD #CookCounty #Chicago #CityClub #KeynoteSpeaker #STEM #Leadership ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dCbk7uJD

Historical Photo of the Day: Workers and a channeling machine during construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal in the 1890s. Learn more about the history and management of the Chicago Area Waterway System ⬇️⚓🐢 https://lnkd.in/gETvWXcS

Wishing everyone a reflective Patriot Day filled with gratitude for the bravery and selflessness of our heroes. 🇺🇸

Historical Photo of the Day: A view to the east showing conditions of the northern approach to the Loomis Street bridge over the South Branch of the Chicago River on November 13, 1902. Learn about the history and operations of the #MWRD on our YouTube channel 📽⬇️ https://lnkd.in/ds-riud5 🏗💧💩🧪🧫🔬🌊🌞

Join the MWRD for our 4th Annual Latinx Stewardship Day on October 19 at Possom Hollow Woods 🌲 The fourth annual #Latinx Stewardship Day, a joint initiative by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and the Forest Preserves of Cook County, will take place on Saturday, October 19, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Possum Hollow Woods in La Grange Park. Volunteers will participate in a series of activities that include the identification and mitigation of invasive species threatening the local ecosystem. Participants will gain valuable insight into sustainable gardening practices aimed at creating a healthier environment. They will also be removing invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle for a prescribed burn. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate together out in nature. Space is limited. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dB4S_DZi #MWRD #LatinxHeritageMonth #Stewardship #CookCounty #LaGrangePark #PossumHollowWoods Forest Preserves of Cook County