EPA Demands Long Overdue Cleanup of Chicago River

In a strongly worded letter to the state of Illinois, the EPA calls for higher water quality standards that would make the notoriously polluted Chicago River safe enough for swimmers.

According to environmental law experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the demand could finally end the long battle over cleanup of the waterway.

“We have for many years met with, reasoned with, argued with, and finally sued the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to get the district to do its job, and treat the Chicago Waterway System as a clean, modern waterway,” said NRDC Midwest director and former commissioner of the Environment for the city of Chicago, Henry Henderson in a statement. “The district persists in treating the waterway as a ghastly sewer. It is unacceptable, a threat to public health and safety and a ridiculous failure of government.

"We are very pleased that the EPA has joined the fight to fix the problem, and called for the district to change its ways and obey the law," Henderson stated.

The largest target of the river cleanup is the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s (MWRD) practice of dumping undisinfected wastewater from its water treatment plants into the river—Chicago is the only major city in the nation where this practice is allowed. Over the years the MWRD has spent millions in an effort to prevent stricter standards on the Chicago waterway.

“We need the district to face facts: the waterway runs through our communities, past homes, businesses, parkland and schools. It should not be an open sewer,” Henderson continued. “People are using the river for recreation.

"We are spending millions of dollars to build homes next to the river. The waterway is an amenity," said Henderson. "[The] EPA’s letter indicates the intention to force the district to meet its responsibilities to finally treat the waterway as required by the Clean Water Act. We note that the Clean Water Act is over 40 years old. Now it is time for the district to stop dragging its heels, and solve these problems that make the waterway a sewer."

The American Rivers organization yesterday announced what it believes are the country’s 10 most endangered rivers. The Chicago River was included due to sewage pollution.

On Monday, the MWRD countered that the EPA demand for a cleaner Chicago River would encourage swimming and thereby increase the risk of people drowning. They called the proposed cleanup a waste of taxpayer money.