MWRD celebrates 50 years of the Egan Water Reclamation Plant with celebration, unveiling of time capsule

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) celebrated the 50th anniversary of the John E. Egan Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) in Schaumburg, marking five decades of protecting public health and the environment in the northwest suburbs. As part of the milestone, officials opened a time capsule sealed in 1976, offering a glimpse into the past while highlighting the plant's enduring contributions to cleaner waterways, reliable wastewater treatment, and local stormwater management.

Among assorted permits and other documents, artifacts from the time capsule included the guest register from the plant's dedication ceremony on June 4, 1976, the Chicago Tribunebearing the same date, a picture of the Board of Commissioners at the time, a Bicentennial coin proof and set, and1976 postage stamps.

"For 50 years, the Egan Plant has been a cornerstone of clean water infrastructure, supporting economic growth and enhancing quality of life for residents across the northwest suburbs," said President Kari K. Steele. "Throughout that time, the MWRD has adapted to new challenges, from community growth and policy changes to the impacts of climate change. Fifty years of service at the Egan Plant is a testament to our resilience and commitment to sustainability."

The Egan WRP serves the communities of Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Roselle. The facility incorporates advanced secondary treatment along with tertiary filtration for the removal of water-borne pollutants. It treats on average 30 million gallons of water per day and can treat as many as 50 million gallons per day at capacity. Over the years, the facility has been upgraded to incorporate advanced treatment processes and improve energy efficiency, keeping pace with evolving environmental standards and the needs of a growing population.

"This milestone was about more than a facility - it was about the dedicated staff and community partnerships that made half a century of service possible," said Commissioner Beth McElroy-Kirkwood. "It was wonderful to see retirees coming back to celebrate where many of them worked most of their careers."

The plant was named in honor of John E. Egan (1907-1988), an Illinois leader who served as president of the Chicago Sanitary District Board of Trustees (the predecessor to the MWRD), chairman of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and a member of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Egan was widely recognized for his commitment to public service and infrastructure development that supported the state's rapid growth in the mid-20th century.

Egan WRP has been at the forefront of many emerging technologies and innovative infrastructure investments through pilot projects and groundbreaking research. The MWRD recently embarked on a design-build project for the installation of a combined heat and power (CHP) system at the Egan WRP to beneficially reuse digester biogas to produce electricity and recover heat.

In addition, the plant was selected to take part in the Water Research Foundation (WRF) Tailored Collaboration Program made possible through public and private contributions and a WRF grant. The ongoing project is assessing energy efficiency, phosphorus removal and improved densification to optimize the wastewater treatment process. The Egan WRP is also piloting multiple biological phosphorus removal strategies to improve water quality downstream and meet future permit requirements.

In 2024, Egan WRP assessed its energy use through the ComEd Strategic Energy Management (SEM) program with Cascade Energy, analyzing about 80 treatment procedures to identify efficiency improvements. Since 2022, MWRD staff have saved over 1.2 million kilowatt hours and earned close to $70,000 in incentives, saving taxpayers on energy costs while avoiding over 800 metric tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to emissions from 188 cars, 108 homes, or carbon sequestered by over 809 acres of forest.

The 50th anniversary celebration underscores the MWRD's ongoing mission to protect water quality, manage stormwater, and invest in sustainable infrastructure that benefits the region for generations.