(Update: I deleted some of my stuff that was wrong. If you can't find what you are looking for, it may be in the archive copy.)
Location information (maps and historical aerial photos) can be found here.
In just the last few years, once again the MWRD decided to pay for equipment instead of lawyers. This time they were fighting the EPA about the bacteria they were dumping into the river.
Update: this plant uses the old technique of adding chlorine then removing the chlorine. The O'Brian Plant uses a new technique of ultraviolet radiation.
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| safe_image for MWRD monitoring for COVID-19 [paycount of 5] MWRD's Report Dennis DeBruler: The photo is of which plant? Hi Dennis , this is our Calumet Water Reclamation Plant that has been in operation since 1922. This plant serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Learn more here  |
The communities downstream of Chicago were not happy with Chicago reversing the flow of the river and dumping their sewage and stock yard wastes into their source of drinking water, including St. Louis. MWRD's predecessor finally decided to stop paying for lawyers and to start paying for concrete. Years ago I read that the sanitation district helped pioneer large scale water reclamation. In fact, the Stickney Plant is still the worlds largest. (History1, History2) (It is interesting how the terminology has been "cleaned up" over the decades. When I was a kid, it was "sewage treatment," then it was "waste water treatment," now it is "water reclamation.")
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| MWRD posted on Feb 19, 2022 A view of construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on July 20, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Cal-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Learn more about each of our 7 WRPs here |
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| MWRD posted on Apr 22, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 16, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted on May 10, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Pumping Station at 126th Street & Indiana Avenue in Chicago on February 5, 1919. |
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| MWRD posted on Jan 17, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on July 20, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted on Jan 17, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on July 20, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted on Apr 3, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on September 29, 1921. |
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| MWrD posted on May 8, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted on Nov 27, 2021 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 16, 1921. |
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MWRD posted
Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Saganashkee (Cal-Sag) Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles.
MWRD posted
[same comment]
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on November 7, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Dennis DeBruler It looks like the two draglines are still steam powered. |
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| MWRD Workers use a crane to hoist and position steel forms during construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on December 20, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the effluent conduit at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago, Illinois, on March 24, 1922. |
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| MWRD posted on Feb 11, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on May 2, 1922. |
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| MWRD posted on Dec 21, 2021 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 2, 1922. |
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| MWRD posted on Mar 23, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on June 2, 1922. |
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| MWRD posted on Feb 28, 2022 Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 2, 1922, on the south side of Chicago. |
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| MWRD posted on Mar 13, 2022 Construction of the machinery building for the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on July 27, 1922. |
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin noted that Chicago was the last major city in the U.S. to disinfect its treated wastewater.Note the implication that Chicago has been uncivilized until the 21st century. So Chicago was one of the first metropolitan areas to build sewage treatment plants, but one of the last to kill the bacteria in its water output.
"This disinfection facility now brings Chicago into the civilized world when it comes to the treatment of sewage and the discharge," Durbin said. (Tribune)
Update: this plant uses the old technique of adding chlorine then removing the chlorine. The O'Brian Plant uses a new technique of ultraviolet radiation.
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on May 2, 1922. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs which serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on November 7, 1921, about one year before the plant went into operation. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of Imhoff tanks at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 16, 1921. The Calumet WRP is located on the south side of Chicago and has been treating wastewater for residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County since 1922. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on November 25, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities. In operation since 1922, it serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, CWRP served a population of 155,000. At present, CWRP's service population is more than 1 million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted Construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago on August 24, 1921, seen in this panoramic combination of two images. The Calumet WRP went into service in 1922 and currently cleans over 350 million gallons of wastewater per day and serves over 1M people within 300 square miles in southern Cook County, Illinois. Learn more about our 7 WRPs here https://mwrd.org/water-reclamation-plants |
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MWRD posted Nov 2018
Historical photo of the week: An elevating grader removes topsoil during the beginning of excavation for the MWRD Calumet treatment plant in Chicago near 123rd St. on the north side of the facility site on Nov. 18, 1920.
[See Grain Elevator for location information.]
MWRD posted Jun 2020
An elevating grader is seen removing topsoil during the beginning of excavation for our Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) near 123rd Street in Chicago on the north side of the facility site on November 18, 1920. In operation since 1922, the Calumet WRP is the oldest of our seven WRPs and currently serves a population of more than one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted An elevating grader is seen removing topsoil during the beginning of excavation for the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant near 123rd Street on the north side of the facility site on November 18, 1920. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Cal-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD Workers use a crane to hoist and position steel forms during construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on December 20, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted A view of construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 30, 1926. Dennis DeBruler: This photo not only shows the grain elevator back when it still had its wood building, it shows a steam locomotive on the C&WI tracks. 41°40'14.0"N 87°36'43.1"W 41.670546, -87.611964 |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago on November 25, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted "Disassembling towers from west to east" is the photographer's original description in the field notes for this image taken towards the end of construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on January 16, 1922, in Chicago. Unfortunately, the field notes do not mention the specific role of the brave souls working at the top of the tower! The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities. In operation since 1922, it serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, CWRP served a population of 155,000. At present, CWRP's service population is more than 1 million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Also posted on Apr 13, 2022 |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 9, 1921, on the south side of Chicago. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities and has been in operation since 1922, currently providing wastewater treatment services for more than one million people in an approximately 300 square mile portion of southern Cook County. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on November 7, 1921. [And a good view of the Michigan Central grain elevator.] |
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| MWRD posted Workers inside a section of sewer tunnel near the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant on April 11, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted Workers assemble an Oliver Press at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago, IL on June 6, 1923. The press was a rotary drum filter that was used for dewatering solids, also called sludge, from the activated sludge wastewater treatment process. This was an experimental facility at the Calumet plant that led to the selection of the rotary drum filter for the Stickney plant more than a decade later. [Note the man inside the drum on the right side. That gives scale to the drum.] MWRD posted |
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| MWRD posted Workers assemble an Oliver Press at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago on June 6, 1923. The press was a rotary drum filter that was used for dewatering solids removed during the wastewater treatment process. This experimental facility at the Calumet plant led to the selection of the rotary drum filter for the Stickney plant more than a decade later. |
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| MWRD posted Workers assemble an Oliver Press at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 6, 1923. The press was a rotary drum filter that was used for dewatering solids, also called sludge, from the activated sludge wastewater treatment process. This was an experimental facility that led to the selection of the rotary drum filter for the Stickney WRP more than a decade later. Dennis DeBruler: I almost missed the man in the right side of the drum. Then I saw one down on the floor on the left side of the photo. They help one appreciate how big this unit was. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921, about one year before the plant opened for operations. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD's seven WRPs and cleans more than 350 million gallons of wastewater every day. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the effluent conduit at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on March 24, 1922. |
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| MWRD Work on aeration tanks for the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago, Illinois, during construction on July 27, 1922. |
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| MWRD posted Excavation for new facilities at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on January 17, 1934. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of aeration tanks at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago on June 8, 1934. [This must have been an expansion project.] |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on MWRD's post This 1934 construction activity must have been an expansion of the plant or a new process because this July 25, 1922, photo shows some aeration tanks that are almost done. |
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| MWRD posted Tank construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant on September 7, 1934. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of aeration tanks at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 8, 1934. |
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| MWRD posted on Jun 8, 2022 Tank construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant on September 7, 1934. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Sewer power plant and pumping station on January 5, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted on Aug 5, 2022 A view of the recently completed Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on April 13, 1923. The Calumet WRP has been in operation since 1922. |
10 workers were injured by a methane gas explosion during maintenance activity.
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| MWRD posted For immediate release October 28, 2020 MWRD’s dedicated essential service earns platinum praise Despite the unpredictable nature of stormwater running off streets and sidewalks and wastewater funneling from homes, businesses and industrial corridors, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has again achieved the highest standards for transforming billions of gallons of wastewater into clean water and protecting area waterways. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) recognized the MWRD with six Platinum Peak Performance Awards for at least five consecutive years of meeting stringent permit guidelines at six MWRD water reclamation plants (WRPs), including the Calumet WRP, which earned platinum honors for meeting full compliance for 28 consecutive years. “Thank you to our innovative staff who work the front lines every day to protect the quality of our region’s water and reclaim it to benefit our environment,” said MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan. “Although these awards commemorate our work in 2019, it is this same staff who we applaud in 2020 as heroes for sacrificing so much to come into work each day to manage our region’s wastewater and improve the quality of life for residents and the environment around them.” The annual awards honor treatment plants for meeting 100 percent compliance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The MWRD was lauded with platinum status at six WRPs for achieving 100 percent compliance for at least five consecutive years at each. The following facilities have earned Platinum status: • Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, Chicago, 28 years • Lemont Water Reclamation Plant, Lemont, 23 years • James C. Kirie Water Reclamation Plant, Des Plaines, 15 years • O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, Skokie, 14 years • Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant, Hanover Park, 12 years • John E. Egan Water Reclamation Plant, Schaumburg, 6 years The Calumet WRP, which treated more than 300 million gallons per day in 2019, was placed into service in 1922, followed by the O'Brien WRP in 1928. The MWRD treated more than 536 billion gallons of water in 2019, or about 1.47 billion gallons of water per day. More intense rain events combined with impervious pavement, a flat terrain and increasing demand to shelter the region from pollution all make the MWRD’s around-the-clock service essential to protecting the public health and the local water environment. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the MWRD continues to provide critically important water reclamation operations and stormwater management services to ensure the region’s wastewater is cleaned and that public health and the environment are protected. “We are honored to receive this platinum recognition from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies,” said MWRD Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos. “It serves as reminder of the important work of our Maintenance and Operations staff, pollution control teams and the Industrial Waste Division who ensure clean water for our environment no matter what flows their way.” In addition to its role as the regional stormwater authority for Cook County, the MWRD treats wastewater for residents and businesses for an equivalent population of 10.35 million people across an 882-square-mile area that includes Chicago and 128 suburban communities. The MWRD’s treatment process is protected by a pretreatment program to guard against hazardous substances and toxic chemicals. The MWRD routinely monitors industries and non-residential sources to assure that wastes are disposed of in an environmentally responsible and lawful manner. NACWA officials honored water utilities Oct. 28 during a presentation recorded in Washington, D.C. “Our public utility members are the backbone of the communities they serve, providing safe, reliable access to clean water services day‐in and day‐out. The Peak Performance Award ceremony is our chance to shine a national spotlight on those outstanding clean water utilities that have demonstrated operational excellence with no more than five permit violations in a calendar year, and, for our Gold and Platinum Award winners, zero violations,” said Adam Krantz, Chief Executive Officer of NACWA. “These utilities represent the top performers in the whole country and go above and beyond in their mission to protect public health and the environment. On behalf of NACWA’s Board of Directors, I extend my congratulations and gratitude to all this year’s award winners and I thank them for their service and their incredible compliance with increasingly rigid Clean Water Act standards. This year has seen unprecedented challenges in the wake of the pandemic, and the Peak Performance Award winners have more than risen to the occasion.” |
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