At MWRD, we're committed to protecting our waterways & managing stormwater to keep our communities safe & sustainable. So...how many gallons of water do you think MWRD treats DAILY to improve the health of our rivers and Lake Michigan? youtube.com/shorts/K99oL...

Today, I am uplifting Native American Heritage Month. Chicago is the traditional homeland of the Council of the Three Fires: The Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi Nations, as well as many other tribes, such as Miami, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac and Fox.

The 5th annual Latino Stewardship Day brought together @fpdcc.com, @latinooutdoors.bsky.social & #MWRD in partnership to celebrate nature & community! Thanks to MWRD.org/BOC‘s Marcelino Garcia & @eirah2o.bsky.social for their support of this event. Great to meet you @projectdragonfly.bsky.social!

Wishing you a Diwali filled with love, light, and laughter!

Today, I am celebrating and uplifting Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Celebrating #HispanicHeritage with community, culture & stewardship! Join the #MWRD for our #LatinoHeritage Month Business Roundtable and Latino Stewardship Day. Learn, connect & give back. RSVP links below 🔗 mwrd.org/events/latin... 🔗 mwrd.org/events/latin... 🎥 @eirah2o.bsky.social

The MWRD will hold its Board of Commissioners meeting in person at 10:30 on Thurs, Oct 2. Public comment may be made at the main office, 100 E Erie St, during the Public Comment period. Unable to attend meetings in-person? View the live stream: mwrd.legistar.com/calendar.aspx.

Welcome to Chicago, WEFTEC! The Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference is the largest annual water quality exhibition in North America & offers water quality professionals the best water quality education and training available. I'm excited to participate again this year.

During Hispanic Heritage Month, it's only fitting to recognize our state insect and *the icon* in my culture. Today, I wish to share again my op-ed from the Sun-Times, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts and policy advocacy in my role as an MWRD commissioner.

A pumpkin spiced PSA for y'all on the first day of fall: LEAVE YOUR LEAVES! Leaves create a natural mulch that helps to suppress weeds while fertilizing the soil as it breaks down. They also serve as a habitat for wildlife including lizards, birds, turtles, frogs & insects.

My upcoming North Shore Environmental Town Hall will take place this Wednesday! Lucy Mellen, Sustainability Director for the Village of Wilmette and a McKinney Climate Fellow, will offer so much perspective on how climate change will influence planning across the MWRD.

My upcoming North Shore Environmental Town Hall will take place this Wednesday! Lucy Mellen, the Sustainability Director for the Village of Wilmette and a McKinney Climate Fellow, will offer so much perspective on how climate change will influence planning across the MWRD.

Join me at my upcoming North Shore Environmental Town Hall! We will be joined by New Trier Township Supervisor Gail Eisenberg, an accomplished civil rights attorney with deep ties to the community. Her perspective will shed a new light on traditional urban planning practices.

It's been a very rainy summer, and MWRD is working harder than ever to implement green infrastructure throughout the district to help mitigate flooding. Here's a quick look at how green infrastructure helps hold back water during a sudden downpour, to alleviate pressure on your local sewer system.

Check out my op-ed in the @chicagosuntimes! "Join Monarch Butterfly Conservation Efforts to Keep Ecosystems Thriving" is timely, given that it's nearing the end of migration season for the official insect of the State of Illinois. chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-t... Thanks for reading! 🦋

Join us at the @mwrdgc.bsky.social Small Business Expo on September 9th! If you're a business owner looking to connect with MWRD on contracting opportunities, this is a must-attend event. Registration is required to secure your spot: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-mwrds-...

Help! We need volunteers for our upcoming Monarch Fest on Saturday, September 13 in North Riverside. If you're local and love the monarch as much as I do, let's meet up at Commons Park. Reserve a volunteer slot here: forms.gle/frhAj3CAUPHe...

It's a busy season and we're out and about in the district. If you'd like to connect, please stop by and say hello at these upcoming community events in a neighborhood near you!

Check out my Op-Ed in @chicago.suntimes.com - "Join Monarch Butterfly Conservation Efforts to Keep Ecosystems Thriving" is timely, given that it's nearing the end of migration season for the official insect of the state of Illinois. Read here: chicago.suntimes.com/letters-to-t...

Had a great time celebrating the start of the new school year with my MWRD colleagues and @speakerwelchil.bsky.social - hope everyone has a good year!

Did you miss my Hanover Park Monarch Fest? Please join me at my North Riverside Monarch Festival on September 13th, 10am to 1pm, at Commons Park.

Looking to meet up with me out in the community? Come see me at the Village of Oak Park, Illinois Farmers Market this Saturday from 8:30-12:30 or at the School District 89 Back to School event (details below).

Did you miss my Monarch Fest last week in Hanover Park? No problem, come join us in North Riverside on Sept 13 for one more chance to celebrate the story of the monarch butterfly migration! 🦋 The event will take place on Saturday, September 13, 10am to 1pm, at Commons Park, 2401 Des Plaines Ave.

Last night's butterfly release unlocked a core memory for so many kids - they named them, guessed genders, and helped me wish them farewell as they flew away. Thanks to Schaumburg Monarch Initiative for carefully tending to the monarchs and helping with release, and to our partners as well.

Tens of thousands of cornflowers in a field in Wicken. Research shows that the sight of them will help you recover from sources of stress more quickly & boost dopamine release in your brain, lifting your mood…in case you need it just now:

The Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, 6001 W. Pershing Rd., Cicero will host an open house and offer tours this Saturday, August 2, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Learn how MWRD is recovering resources and transforming water. All ages are welcome. Parking is free. Please wear closed-toe shoes.

Conserve water today! The MWRD has issued an Overflow Action Alert. Want to receive these alerts to your phone or email? Sign up here: mwrd.org/community-ac...

Congrats to the Village of Willow Springs on an upgrade to the Town Center grounds! @mwrdgc.bsky.social partnered with the Village to install 62,000+ square feet of permeable brick pavers designed to store 1 million+ gallons of stormwater! Given this weekend's rain fall, the timing is perfect.

A short list of places to connect with me and my office this summer/fall. Please do check out the @mwrdgc.bsky.social Small Business Summit at Malcolm X College on Sept 9, and hit the thread for live text of all the event dates, times and addresses.

🦋 It's almost time for my annual Hanover Park Monarch Festival! Learn about the important work that MWRD does to save the monarchs, and find resources like milkweed seeds to help keep them safe. Please join me and many wonderful environmental and wellness partners at Liberty Park on August 6. 🦋

We had a great time with our partners at Maine Township on Sat. My annual Water & Wellness event was filled with fun activities for the whole family. Thanks to our partners, as well as our dedicated volunteers, and Supervisor Jones for going above and beyond! youtube.com/shorts/8S2re...

This Saturday's Water & Wellness health fair is going to be incredible! Here is a quick intro to the governmental agencies and reps who will be joining me, so you can connect with them.

We're counting down to Saturday's Water & Wellness event Maine Township and hope to see you there! Each day this week, we'll share a little more information about what to expect. Today, we're putting the spotlight on our great health & wellness partners.

Catch Team Eira at any of these upcoming events this summer and fall.

Go behind the scenes and under water to see how @mwrdgc.bsky.social cleans the water you use every day; descend 300 ft into the deep tunnel system & watch our electrofishing crew at work sampling fish. See goats and sheep at work maintaining native prairie landscaping! Ready to explore?

Summer Wednesdays are for exploring the water and sky for native species! Pumpkinseed Sunfish have bright colors and they really show up at the Des Plaines River. MWRD's stormwater management reduces sedimentation in rivers, ensuring clear water habitats where we can easily see them in the waves. 🐠

Ten sheep & forty goats arrived at MWRD’s Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on July 8 to help maintain the native prairie landscaping (NPL). The herd will graze across nearly four acres of shrubs, plants, & other vegetation. 🌱🐐🐑🌎 🌊 mwrd.org/community-action/native-landscaping #MWRD #Chicago

Last week, I shared a fun (?) fact with the MWRD board and incoming interns. Can you guess what it might be? HINT: It has to do with WATER.

Puppies, nature, wellness and...puppies! Did I say puppies? Come on out to my third annual Water & Wellness health fair at Maine Township next week. It's going to be a great time with tons of fun activities and goodies. See you there!

Congrats, Mays, on a great capstone presentation to our team! We wish you all the best as you pursue your studies in Public Health & Political Science at @uicpublichealth.bsky.social

Even though it's the last day of June, I'm always celebrating Pride and finding opportunities to celebrate my loved ones in the LGBTQ++ community. Please hug your friends and family tight and let them know often that you see them and support them. 🏳️‍🌈

A warm welcome to our summer interns here at the MWRD! @mwrdgc.bsky.social

Can't believe we are half-way through the year. It's been a busy but fun 6 months! I'm looking forward to being out in many communities throughout the district these next few months, so stop by an event and say hello!

UPDATE: Just to clarify - MWRD's disposal program only accepts pills, not liquids. Sorry for the confusion. Full details on this innovative program can be found here: www.mwrd.org/community-ac...

It's officially summer solstice. I'm excited to see you out & about during this busy & fun season. Mark your calendar for an event near you! My team will be there tomorrow, 9am-noon, at Daley Plaza farmer's market.

If you're clearing out your medicine cabinet, please keep in mind that MWRD offers a safe way to dispose of expired pills, in order to keep them out of our rivers and streams. You can drop expired bottles at any MWRD location, listed on our website here: www.mwrd.org/community-ac...

Gone Fishin'! 🐠🐟 On this National Go Fishing Day, we recognize all the MWRD staff, along with community partners like Friends of the Chicago River and Current who keep our waters clean and safe for fishing. Your vigilance ensures that our waterways and their populations remain in concert.

Don't forget: it's National Pollinator Month. These tiny heroes are vital to our food system. Did you know 1/3 of the food we eat relies on pollinators? Let's learn how to protect them! #NationalPollinatorWeek #Pollinators

Will you be bird watching this summer? Here are some tips from the Chicago Bird Alliance, which were shared during our Nature Walk last month. It's easy to get started, and you don't need a lot of expensive equipment. So get out there and explore! youtu.be/dAfAdRg3pec?...

Do you know the difference between green & gray infrastructure? MWRD uses permeable pavers (like the ones recently installed in the Lake Katherine Nature Center parking lot, or at Openlands Space to Grow playgrounds) and native plants to help mitigate flooding, especially when heavy rains hit.