New state rules finally require water to be clean enough for safe boating, fishing, and swimming
It’s been a long process, but the work and wait was worth it for the growing number of people who are using Chicago Area Waterways such as the Chicago River for boating, fishing and swimming. On August 18th, the Illinois Pollution Control Board approved the proposed recreational use standards that Prairie Rivers Network and a host of partners have been advocating for since October 2007.
After a record number of hearings (the most on any pollution issue in Illinois) and calls for action from US EPA, our Illinois Senators Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk, Congressman Mike Quigley, and Attorney General Lisa Madigan and many others, the new river rules finally protect the people who use the river. That means our rules now recognize that thousands of people are in and on the river and that they have a right to be there.
Currently, the treated sewage that makes up a large amount of the water in the Chicago River, the Cal-Sag Channel and the Little Calumet River is not disinfected. This puts swimmers, boaters, and people fishing at risk of contracting illnesses when they are in and on the water. Chicago is the only major city in America that does not disinfect its sewage. Still on the table is how the sewage treatment plants will meet the new recreational standard – the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) has until November 10 to develop their plan. New MWRD executive director, David St. Pierre, has promised disinfection technologies will be in place at the Northside and Calumet sewage treatment plants by 2015. Now we need a time table for the Stickney sewage treatment plant.
Still outstanding is a ruling from the state on proposed new rules to protect healthy fish communities in these same waters. Prairie Rivers Network continues to be involved in pressing for these new protections.
Increased recreational use of the Chicago Area Waterways, like the Asian carp crisis and our lawsuit against the Water District for illegal pollution, point towards the need to re-think how we care for our waterways. As we have said before, now is the time to re-invent the Chicago River and canals to provide upgraded wastewater and transportation infrastructure, world-class recreational and tourism opportunities, and healthy waters and people.
