The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is a vital public-sector agency serving Cook County, Illinois — including the City of Chicago and 128 suburban communities — over a service area of approximately 882 square miles. With nearly 2,000 employees, the MWRD treats and manages a staggering volume of wastewater and stormwater for the region. The MWRD operates seven major water reclamation (wastewater treatment) plants, including the world-famous Stickney plant, which together have a treatment capacity of over 2.0 billion gallons per day. Its infrastructure includes 560 miles of intercepting sewers and force mains, plus 23 pumping stations, all designed to collect and convey wastewater and stormwater across local systems. A flagship of the MWRD’s flood-control and pollution-management efforts is the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP) — often called the “Deep Tunnel.” This massive civil-engineering project comprises over 109 miles of underground tunnels and three vast reservoirs, providing storage to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during heavy rain and protect waterways. On the environmental front, the MWRD also manages 76.1 miles of navigable waterways, operates numerous regional stormwater detention reservoirs, and undertakes stream and channel improvements to reduce flooding and improve water quality. Through resource recovery programs, it recycles biosolids, produces compost, and generates renewable energy — turning wastewater by-products into valuable assets. On 30 September 2025, the MWRD was officially inaugurated into the Leading Utilities of the World network during a ceremony at WEFTEC in Chicago, where it was represented by its President, Kari Steele.