THE BILL YOU DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD
Pull out your property tax bill. Find the line that says "MWRD" That charge funds the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. A $1.8 billion agency that operates seven treatment plants, 554 miles of sewer lines, and one of the largest tunnel systems ever built. It's the system that treats billions of gallons of wastewater, prevents flooding, and keeps Cook County's waterways clean.
WHAT THE MWRD ACTUALLY DOES
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District collects billions from Cook County property taxes. Here's what it does — and why it matters to you.
CLEAN WATER
Every day, 1.4 billion gallons of wastewater flows from Chicago and 128 surrounding communities into MWRD treatment plants. The district cleans it before it can reach the Chicago River, Lake Michigan, or your neighborhood. Seven treatment plants. 23 pumping stations. Running every hour of every day.
PREVENT FLOODING
Under your feet, up to 300 feet down, runs the Deep Tunnel — 110 miles of massive underground tunnels that capture stormwater during heavy rains before it floods basements and streets. It feeds into three reservoirs at Thornton, McCook, and Majewski that together hold billions of gallons. When it works, your basement stays dry. When it's underfunded, it doesn't.
PROTECT THE LAKE AND RIVER
Lake Michigan is the sole source of drinking water for millions of people across northeastern Illinois. The Chicago River runs through the heart of the city. The MWRD intercepts sewage and stormwater before it overflows into both — treating it and returning clean water to the environment. Every major rain event is a test of that system.
Clean water and reliable flood protection are not abstract policy goals — they are the difference between a livable home and a damaged one.
1.4 Billion
Gallons of wastewater treated every single day
5.5 Million
Cook County residents served across 128 communities
$1.8 Billion
Your 2026 tax dollars funding this district —
up 6.4% from last year
WHO RUNS THE MWRD
The MWRD is governed by a nine-member Board of Commissioners, elected by Cook County voters. Commissioners serve six-year terms. Most run with little opposition and almost no public scrutiny — despite overseeing one of the largest public works budgets in Illinois.
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When residents pay a water district levy, they are paying to not flood. That expectation deserves to be honored with disciplined, on-mission spending. Especially given Illinois's property tax burden.
There are currently three open seats and we are counting on your vote in November.
Vote for me, Michelle Pennington, along with my colleagues Jill B. Shestokas & Timothy E. Rueckert
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