US EPA approves water quality standards in Illinois

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved new and revised water quality standards for five segments of the Chicago and Calumet Rivers in Illinois.

The new standards will help in transforming the Chicago River system from a sewage canal to a valuable recreational and economic asset, the agency said.

The standards will be applied to the North and South Branches of the Chicago River, the North Shore Channel, the Cal-Sag Channel and the Little Calumet River.

US Senator Dick Durbin said that raising water quality standards will help in improving the waterways in and around Chicago and make them more accessible for future generations.