Disinfection Digging Starts

In 2000 Friends of the Chicago River released a report that called for sewage treatment plant effluent disinfection, a cleansing process that removes harmful sewage-based bacteria to stop it from entering the river. That process is in place at every major sewage treatment plant in the country except the three on the Chicago River.

After many years of advocacy and effort, in 2011 the water quality standards for the Chicago River were upgraded and disinfection became required for the two plants upstream of where most recreators go. Construction for it will be complete by the end of 2015. There are no plans for disinfection at Stickney, the largest plant...yet.

See the details on disinfection.