Illinois utility allocates funding to improve water quality in Chicago River

The state of Illinois in the US has allocated $10m in funding to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) of Greater Chicago to improve water quality in Chicago River.

The funding will be used to design and engineer new facilities to disinfect discharges into the Chicago River/Chicago Area Waterway System at the Calumet water reclamation plant and the North Side water reclamation plant.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said the Chicago River is an "Illinois treasure" that should be clean and safe.

"Cleaning up our waterways will not only improve the quality of life in the Chicago area, but also attract more tourists and residents to Illinois," Quinn said.

Technology upgrades will focus on the chlorination/de-chlorination process for discharges into the Chicago River from the Calumet plant, and ultraviolet treatment to treat discharges from the North Side plant.

Construction of the cleanup project will commence later this year and final design work will be completed by March 2013.

The entire project is anticipated to be completed by December 2015 with the disinfection processes implemented ahead of the 2016 recreational season.

The funding is being provided though Illinois Jobs Now! Capital programme to support the estimated $21m total design and engineering costs.

Image: The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of 156 miles.