Program On The Global Environment: Managing Water for Equity and Resilience

Chicago, a city known for its diverse neighborhoods, has a long and storied relationship with water. Beginning with the Native Americans use of Chicago’s water sources as a portage between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes, to the historic engineering of the reversal of the Chicago River, to the popular lakefront and Riverwalk we enjoy today. But how do different neighborhoods view their relationship to Chicago’s rich water history? This dialogue between MWRD Commissioner Kimberly Du Buclet and WBEZ’s Monica Eng (“Curious City”) will explore the structures and modern-day challenges facing Chicago’s water system, as seen from the perspective of the regional agency responsible for the management of our wastewater and sewage treatment. Is water an amenity or a potential hazard? Are Chicago’s water resources accessible to all? How is water managed throughout the city and what are the challenges facing its neighborhoods and populations as our  infrastructure ages and climate threats intensify?