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WWTPs, has public notification program obligations within their permits to inform
the affected public. Currently recreational users of the river may not be informed of
the potential health and disease exposure risks associated with their usage. USEPA
has initiated contact with Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to discuss
these ideas. This activity will involve several partners, the MWRDGC, the City of
Chicago, the Friends of the Chicago River, and the IDPH.
· Disinfection (chlorination) of the effluent from Chicago WWTPs - Currently the three
large MWRDGC water reclamation plants (Northside, Stickney and Calumet)
discharging to the Chicago Waterways do not disinfect their wastewaters since they
discharge to Secondary Contact Waters. These waters do not have bacterial water
quality standards. There is substantial qualitative information that the public is now
using these waters for recreation due to recent improvements in water quality as a
result of upgrades done by the MWRDGC at their water reclamation plants. This is
particularly true for the Cal Sag System. While there is an effort to upgrade water
quality standards of these waters as a part of a UAA effort, this may ultimately take
several years. Because of the potential need to disinfect at least at Calumet to protect
public safety, we will begin discussions with MWRDGC to encourage this agency to
begin planning for disinfection. IEPA will lead this effort.
B. Mutual Environmental Interests
1. Lake Michigan - Both the USEPA Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) and
the Region 5 Lake Michigan Team contribute to activities which promote the clean-up,
restoration and protection of Lake Michigan, with GLNPO focusing at a Great Lakes
Basin-wide level. USEPA's Great Lakes Program brings together federal, state, tribal,
local, and industry partners in an integrated, ecosystem approach to protect, maintain, and
restore the chemical, biological, and physical integrity of the Great Lakes. The Great
Lakes Water Quality Agreement with Canada and the Lake Michigan LaMP provide the
agenda for Great Lakes ecosystem management: reducing toxic substances; protecting
and restoring important habitats; and protecting human/ecosystem species health. These
objectives closely align with Region 5 and IEPA's joint environmental priorities and
certain GLNPO activities may be described in those sections as appropriate. Lake
Michigan Lake-wide Management Plan (LaMP) 2002 Update was published in April
2002. Illinois EPA, Region 5 and GLNPO continue to work with other Great Lakes
States regarding TMDL strategies for Lake Michigan as well as Great Lakes basin wide
approaches, and strategies for the Waukegan Harbor Area of Concern (AOC).
a. Great Lakes Area of Concern (Waukegan Harbor) - Work continues on final
remediation steps for Waukegan Harbor and monitoring recovery. During the
summer of 2002 renewed and revitalized interest in completion of dredging the
approach channel and outer reaches of the Harbor was fostered by the identification
of Yeoman Creek landfill as a potential dredge spoil disposal site. USEPA's
finalization of AOC delisting guidelines in late 2001 along with increased support and
coordination between state and federal agencies, local citizens and elected officials
has produced greater optimism that completion of remaining remediation and
