Tour the World's Largest Waste Water Treatment Plant 

Tuesday, March 15, 8:00am-12:00pm
Cost $25
Limited to 35 people

The Stickney Water Reclamation Plant is the largest wastewater treatment facility in the world. The Plant serves 2.38 million people in a 260 square mile area including the central part of Chicago and 43 suburban communities.

The Plant has a design capacity of 1,200 million gallons per day. Stickney actually consists of two plants; the west side portion of the plant was placed into service in 1930 and the southwest portion of the plant was placed into service in 1939. It is part of the MWRDGC (Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago).  Originally established as the Sanitary District of Chicago, the MWRDGC has played a vital role in the history and health of the city. The Sanitary District Enabling Act of May 29, 1889, established the District with the purpose of managing water supply and wastewater issues.[1] Two important early projects included the reversal of the Chicago River, designed to carry waste water away from Lake Michigan, and the construction of the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal which aided in the flowage of water out of Lake Michigan. The canal also allowed for larger commercial vessels to move from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.

MWRDGC operates the Stickney plant in addition to six other plants and 23 pumping stations. The District treats an average 1.5 billion gallons of wastewater each day. It is also responsible for the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and maintains approximately 76 miles (122 km) of waterways, part of a national system connecting the Atlantic Ocean, Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico.

The District oversees one of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken--the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan, better known as the "Deep Tunnel Project." It includes over one hundred miles of tunnels, 9 to 33 feet (10 m) in diameter each part of an extensive flood mitigation and pollution control project. Since 2005 the District has been responsible for stormwater management for all of Cook County and some areas outside of the District’s boundaries.