(Satellite, just the newest silos of the elevator still remain)This also contains a copy of the Calumet WRP notes before I deleted a lot of my stuff that was wrong!
MWRD posted
Historical photo of the week: An elevating grader removes topsoil during the beginning of excavation for the MWRD Calumet treatment plant in Chicago near 123rd St. on the north side of the facility site on Nov. 18, 1920.
Joe Falco: To the left of the nose of the tractor is the beginning of the upward slope of the "High Tracks" that go up and over the Illinois Central tracks and form the north boundary of Kensington park aka Morandi's Field. Those Norris Malted Barley (beer) grain elevators were ancient, abandoned and scary and a source of wonder for us kids when we used to explore the area now known as Kensington Marsh. This narrow piece of land is intriguing as it's been closed off between the two tracks, with little disturbance outside of some illegal dumping. The Indian Boundary runs through the middle of this "Lost World" and would be a prime site for an archeological survey. Oh, and there are (were) little, white freshwater jelly fish in the ponds. They are invasives from Chinese landscaping plants, and have spread throughout the Midwest, just like carp. There were also pheasants, muskrats, beaver, rabbits, snakes and turtles, back in the 1970's when we used to ramble around there. I think it might also be a site where the mysterious Thismia Americana still exists, a pre-historic plant that lives without chlorophyll, perhaps a missing link between fungi and chlorophyll plant development. This is a great photo!
Melissa Carrillo shared
MWRD posted
[Bob Lalich identified the structure on the right as the coaling tower in MC's railyard. There is more discussion in the comments on this post.]
Erik Gilmore commented on the post
It looks like a few of those silos survived.
Dennis DeBruler So that elevator was served by the CW&I, not Lake Calumet. https://www.google.com/.../@41.6705336,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 Now that I think about it, the MWRD photo shows the elevator was built before 1920 whereas the Illinois Waterway was not built until the 1930s. This demonstrates the economy of bulk shipment by barge because the grain elevators moved from railroad access to waterway access.
Dennis DeBruler commented on the post
Bob Lalich Do you know which railroad operated this grain elevator? It does not appear on the 1901 Sanborn Grain Elevator map. It looks like it could have been served by IC from the north or by a C&WI owner from the south. It would not be the MC because they had two elevators on the east side of their yard. Although only one still seems to be standing by 1929. The topo shows that MC served the WRP.
1929 Calumet Lake Quadrangle @ 1:24,000
1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
Some context for that area.
1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP
Some more WRP construction photos have this elevator in the background.
MWRD posted
Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Cal-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles.
MWRD posted
A view of construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 30, 1926.
Dennis DeBruler: This photo not only shows the grain elevator back when it still had its wood building, it shows a steam locomotive on the C&WI tracks.41°40'14.0"N 87°36'43.1"W41.670546, -87.611964
(Satellite, just the newest silos of the elevator still remain)
This also contains a copy of the Calumet WRP notes before I deleted a lot of my stuff that was wrong!
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| MWRD posted Historical photo of the week: An elevating grader removes topsoil during the beginning of excavation for the MWRD Calumet treatment plant in Chicago near 123rd St. on the north side of the facility site on Nov. 18, 1920. Joe Falco: To the left of the nose of the tractor is the beginning of the upward slope of the "High Tracks" that go up and over the Illinois Central tracks and form the north boundary of Kensington park aka Morandi's Field. Those Norris Malted Barley (beer) grain elevators were ancient, abandoned and scary and a source of wonder for us kids when we used to explore the area now known as Kensington Marsh. This narrow piece of land is intriguing as it's been closed off between the two tracks, with little disturbance outside of some illegal dumping. The Indian Boundary runs through the middle of this "Lost World" and would be a prime site for an archeological survey. Oh, and there are (were) little, white freshwater jelly fish in the ponds. They are invasives from Chinese landscaping plants, and have spread throughout the Midwest, just like carp. There were also pheasants, muskrats, beaver, rabbits, snakes and turtles, back in the 1970's when we used to ramble around there. I think it might also be a site where the mysterious Thismia Americana still exists, a pre-historic plant that lives without chlorophyll, perhaps a missing link between fungi and chlorophyll plant development. This is a great photo! Melissa Carrillo shared MWRD posted [Bob Lalich identified the structure on the right as the coaling tower in MC's railyard. There is more discussion in the comments on this post.] |
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| Erik Gilmore commented on the post It looks like a few of those silos survived. Dennis DeBruler So that elevator was served by the CW&I, not Lake Calumet. https://www.google.com/.../@41.6705336,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 Now that I think about it, the MWRD photo shows the elevator was built before 1920 whereas the Illinois Waterway was not built until the 1930s. This demonstrates the economy of bulk shipment by barge because the grain elevators moved from railroad access to waterway access. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on the post Bob Lalich Do you know which railroad operated this grain elevator? It does not appear on the 1901 Sanborn Grain Elevator map. It looks like it could have been served by IC from the north or by a C&WI owner from the south. It would not be the MC because they had two elevators on the east side of their yard. Although only one still seems to be standing by 1929. The topo shows that MC served the WRP. 1929 Calumet Lake Quadrangle @ 1:24,000 |
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| 1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
Some context for that area.
Some more WRP construction photos have this elevator in the background.
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| 1938 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
Some more WRP construction photos have this elevator in the background.
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Cal-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted A view of construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 30, 1926. Dennis DeBruler: This photo not only shows the grain elevator back when it still had its wood building, it shows a steam locomotive on the C&WI tracks. 41°40'14.0"N 87°36'43.1"W 41.670546, -87.611964 |
MWRD: Calumet WRP Adds Disinfection
(Satellite)
The communities downstream of Chicago were not happy with Chicago reversing the flow of the river and dumping their sewage and stock yard wastes into their source of drinking water, including St. Louis. MWRD's predecessor finally decided to stop paying for lawyers and to start paying for concrete. Years ago I read that the sanitation district helped pioneer large scale water reclamation. In fact, the Stickney Plant is still the worlds largest. (History1, History2) (It is interesting how the terminology has been "cleaned up" over the decades. When I was a kid, it was "sewage treatment," then it was "waste water treatment," now it is "water reclamation.")
In just the last few years, once again the MWRD decided to pay for equipment instead of lawyers. This time they were fighting the EPA about the bacteria they were dumping into the river.
Update: this plant uses the old technique of adding chlorine then removing the chlorine. The O'Brian Plant uses a new technique of ultraviolet radiation.
The above comment was deleted when I edited by Facebook. I left it delete since I now believe the comment is wrong.
It is the oldest MWRD plant, but it was extensively upgraded in 2013. [wwdmag]
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| safe_image for MWRD monitoring for COVID-19 [paycount of 5] MWRD's Report Dennis DeBruler: The photo is of which plant? Hi Dennis , this is our Calumet Water Reclamation Plant that has been in operation since 1922. This plant serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Learn more here  |
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MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Saganashkee (Cal-Sag) Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. MWRD posted [same comment] |
The communities downstream of Chicago were not happy with Chicago reversing the flow of the river and dumping their sewage and stock yard wastes into their source of drinking water, including St. Louis. MWRD's predecessor finally decided to stop paying for lawyers and to start paying for concrete. Years ago I read that the sanitation district helped pioneer large scale water reclamation. In fact, the Stickney Plant is still the worlds largest. (History1, History2) (It is interesting how the terminology has been "cleaned up" over the decades. When I was a kid, it was "sewage treatment," then it was "waste water treatment," now it is "water reclamation.")
In just the last few years, once again the MWRD decided to pay for equipment instead of lawyers. This time they were fighting the EPA about the bacteria they were dumping into the river.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin noted that Chicago was the last major city in the U.S. to disinfect its treated wastewater.Note the implication that Chicago has been uncivilized until the 21st century. So Chicago was one of the first metropolitan areas to build sewage treatment plants, but one of the last to kill the bacteria in its water output.
"This disinfection facility now brings Chicago into the civilized world when it comes to the treatment of sewage and the discharge," Durbin said. (Tribune)
Update: this plant uses the old technique of adding chlorine then removing the chlorine. The O'Brian Plant uses a new technique of ultraviolet radiation.
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on November 7, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. Dennis DeBruler It looks like the two draglines are still steam powered. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on May 2, 1922. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs which serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on November 7, 1921, about one year before the plant went into operation. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of Imhoff tanks at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on June 16, 1921. The Calumet WRP is located on the south side of Chicago and has been treating wastewater for residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County since 1922. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago, Illinois, on November 25, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities. In operation since 1922, it serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, CWRP served a population of 155,000. At present, CWRP's service population is more than 1 million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted Construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Chicago on August 24, 1921, seen in this panoramic combination of two images. The Calumet WRP went into service in 1922 and currently cleans over 350 million gallons of wastewater per day and serves over 1M people within 300 square miles in southern Cook County, Illinois. Learn more about our 7 WRPs here https://mwrd.org/water-reclamation-plants |
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MWRD posted Historical photo of the week: An elevating grader removes topsoil during the beginning of excavation for the MWRD Calumet treatment plant in Chicago near 123rd St. on the north side of the facility site on Nov. 18, 1920. [See Grain Elevator for location information.] MWRD posted An elevating grader is seen removing topsoil during the beginning of excavation for our Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) near 123rd Street in Chicago on the north side of the facility site on November 18, 1920. In operation since 1922, the Calumet WRP is the oldest of our seven WRPs and currently serves a population of more than one million people in an area of about 300 square miles.Raymond Jordan Interesting that the grain elevator was there first. Michael Berge Chicago &Western Indiana Railroad bridge over the Little Calumet River in the far background? |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's comment I agree that is probably the C&WI bridge. https://www.google.com/.../@41.6726714,-87.../data=!3m1!1e3 The eight newest silos in the photos appear to be still standing. And MWRD abandoned this original location when they built the new WRP at this location. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's comment I think the C&WI flyover of the IC tracks must have originally been built with a truss span. This 1938 aerial photo shows that the grain elevator was north of the WRP. And the flyover was further north. I noticed that the truss span had been replaced by steel girders by 1938. |
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's comment |
The WRP has expanded significantly since then. But the newest annex of the grain elevator, 8 concrete silos, still stands.
41°40'14.0"N 87°36'43.1"W
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| Dennis DeBruler commented on Michael's comment I think we see the truss bridge on the left side of the red rectangle. The rest of the rectangle highlights the curve in the C&WI tracks as it turns to cross the IC. This photo is from an April 28, 2021 MWRD post. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD’s seven WRPs and has been in operation since 1922, serving residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Cal-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, the plant served a population of 155,000. At present the plant’s service population is over one million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted A view of construction at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 30, 1926. Dennis DeBruler: This photo not only shows the grain elevator back when it still had its wood building, it shows a steam locomotive on the C&WI tracks. 41°40'14.0"N 87°36'43.1"W 41.670546, -87.611964 |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago on November 25, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted "Disassembling towers from west to east" is the photographer's original description in the field notes for this image taken towards the end of construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on January 16, 1922, in Chicago. Unfortunately, the field notes do not mention the specific role of the brave souls working at the top of the tower! The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities. In operation since 1922, it serves residents and businesses in the southern portion of Cook County. At the time of its opening, the 16-mile Calumet-Sag Channel had just become operational. By 1928, CWRP served a population of 155,000. At present, CWRP's service population is more than 1 million people in an area of about 300 square miles. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on August 9, 1921, on the south side of Chicago. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the seven MWRD water treatment facilities and has been in operation since 1922, currently providing wastewater treatment services for more than one million people in an approximately 300 square mile portion of southern Cook County. |
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| MWRD posted Workers inside a section of sewer tunnel near the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant on April 11, 1921. |
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| MWRD posted Workers assemble an Oliver Press at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago, IL on June 6, 1923. The press was a rotary drum filter that was used for dewatering solids, also called sludge, from the activated sludge wastewater treatment process. This was an experimental facility at the Calumet plant that led to the selection of the rotary drum filter for the Stickney plant more than a decade later. [Note the man inside the drum on the right side. That gives scale to the drum.] MWRD posted |
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| MWRD posted Workers assemble an Oliver Press at the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant in Chicago on June 6, 1923. The press was a rotary drum filter that was used for dewatering solids removed during the wastewater treatment process. This experimental facility at the Calumet plant led to the selection of the rotary drum filter for the Stickney plant more than a decade later. |
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| MWRD posted Construction of the Calumet Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) on September 29, 1921, about one year before the plant opened for operations. The Calumet WRP is the oldest of the MWRD's seven WRPs and cleans more than 350 million gallons of wastewater every day. |
It is the oldest MWRD plant, but it was extensively upgraded in 2013. [wwdmag]
10 workers were injured by a methane gas explosion during maintenance activity.
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| MWRD posted For immediate release October 28, 2020 MWRD’s dedicated essential service earns platinum praise Despite the unpredictable nature of stormwater running off streets and sidewalks and wastewater funneling from homes, businesses and industrial corridors, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has again achieved the highest standards for transforming billions of gallons of wastewater into clean water and protecting area waterways. The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) recognized the MWRD with six Platinum Peak Performance Awards for at least five consecutive years of meeting stringent permit guidelines at six MWRD water reclamation plants (WRPs), including the Calumet WRP, which earned platinum honors for meeting full compliance for 28 consecutive years. “Thank you to our innovative staff who work the front lines every day to protect the quality of our region’s water and reclaim it to benefit our environment,” said MWRD Vice President Barbara McGowan. “Although these awards commemorate our work in 2019, it is this same staff who we applaud in 2020 as heroes for sacrificing so much to come into work each day to manage our region’s wastewater and improve the quality of life for residents and the environment around them.” The annual awards honor treatment plants for meeting 100 percent compliance of National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits. The MWRD was lauded with platinum status at six WRPs for achieving 100 percent compliance for at least five consecutive years at each. The following facilities have earned Platinum status: • Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, Chicago, 28 years • Lemont Water Reclamation Plant, Lemont, 23 years • James C. Kirie Water Reclamation Plant, Des Plaines, 15 years • O’Brien Water Reclamation Plant, Skokie, 14 years • Hanover Park Water Reclamation Plant, Hanover Park, 12 years • John E. Egan Water Reclamation Plant, Schaumburg, 6 years The Calumet WRP, which treated more than 300 million gallons per day in 2019, was placed into service in 1922, followed by the O'Brien WRP in 1928. The MWRD treated more than 536 billion gallons of water in 2019, or about 1.47 billion gallons of water per day. More intense rain events combined with impervious pavement, a flat terrain and increasing demand to shelter the region from pollution all make the MWRD’s around-the-clock service essential to protecting the public health and the local water environment. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the MWRD continues to provide critically important water reclamation operations and stormwater management services to ensure the region’s wastewater is cleaned and that public health and the environment are protected. “We are honored to receive this platinum recognition from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies,” said MWRD Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos. “It serves as reminder of the important work of our Maintenance and Operations staff, pollution control teams and the Industrial Waste Division who ensure clean water for our environment no matter what flows their way.” In addition to its role as the regional stormwater authority for Cook County, the MWRD treats wastewater for residents and businesses for an equivalent population of 10.35 million people across an 882-square-mile area that includes Chicago and 128 suburban communities. The MWRD’s treatment process is protected by a pretreatment program to guard against hazardous substances and toxic chemicals. The MWRD routinely monitors industries and non-residential sources to assure that wastes are disposed of in an environmentally responsible and lawful manner. NACWA officials honored water utilities Oct. 28 during a presentation recorded in Washington, D.C. “Our public utility members are the backbone of the communities they serve, providing safe, reliable access to clean water services day‐in and day‐out. The Peak Performance Award ceremony is our chance to shine a national spotlight on those outstanding clean water utilities that have demonstrated operational excellence with no more than five permit violations in a calendar year, and, for our Gold and Platinum Award winners, zero violations,” said Adam Krantz, Chief Executive Officer of NACWA. “These utilities represent the top performers in the whole country and go above and beyond in their mission to protect public health and the environment. On behalf of NACWA’s Board of Directors, I extend my congratulations and gratitude to all this year’s award winners and I thank them for their service and their incredible compliance with increasingly rigid Clean Water Act standards. This year has seen unprecedented challenges in the wake of the pandemic, and the Peak Performance Award winners have more than risen to the occasion.” |
