Industrial Water, Waste & Sewage Group

Since 1948…….

In This Issue

Message from your Chair
April 17 RAPS Tour Recap
April 17 Membership Meeting Recap
April 17 Presentation of the 2024 DEP Award
May 22 Membership Meeting / Facility Tour
Announcement of Nominees for '24-'25 Steering Committee Officers & Members
“Thank You” to our Member Companies

Message from your Chair

Greetings Dear Friends!

Our April membership event, recapped below, was another sold-out, educational, and fun networking event. Please join us for our final event for the 2023-2024 year – a May 22 tour of an active waste processing facility, followed by a networking dinner at a great nearby Italian restaurant – make your reservations NOW (see details below)!! This is your last opportunity to get together with likeminded people before our summer networking break.

Even if you haven’t participated recently, we cordially invite you, especially our Industrial leaders, to be part of our Group and take advantage of discounted meeting rates. We promote our Members through table-top displays at all of our meetings, inclusion of their logos in all newsletters, and prominent advertisement listing on our website with membership names and details of the company for all to access and use. Join anytime now for the upcoming 2024-2025 year. You really are helping to keep IWWSG alive and well! Thank you!!

Hope to see you soon!

Cheers!

Barb Scapardine

'23-'24 Chair - IWWSG

April 17 RAPS Tour Recap

IWWSG’s activity-packed April membership event began with an optional tour (led by Dick Lanyon!) of MWRD’s historic Racine Avenue Pumping Station (RAPS), an essential infrastructure that conveys sewage & stormwater from local sewers in a 36-square-mile area of the central & south side of Chicago to provide drainage and protection for 145,000 residents. All sewage and stormwater from within this area is collected by local sewers and conveyed through four large intercepting sewers which converge at the RAPS. The Station was placed in service in 1939 and currently contains 14 electrically driven centrifugal pumps.

April 17 Membership Meeting Recap

Immediately following the RAPS tour, a networking dinner meeting was held at the nearby Chicago Maritime Museum (CMM), a 10,000-square-foot showcase that serves as a window into Chicago’s maritime history, located on the shores of Bubbly Creek at the Bridgeport Art Center. Remember, at varying times, Chicago has been the busiest port or one of the busiest ports in the world! The event began with self-exploration of the Museum, a short enlightening lecture by Museum staff, delicious appetizers provided by the Museum, a fantastic dinner catered by The Polo Club, and a very informative post-dinner presentation by John Kim, Director of the Illinois EPA. Director Kim, who arrived (from Springfield) at the Museum just in time for dinner, began his presentation by complimenting IWWSG – he stated first that when he heard the networking buzz as he walked into the meeting room, he thought he was joining a friendly block party, and second, that as he met the meeting attendees, he was actually somewhat intimidated by the overall level of expertise in the room!!

The Chicago Maritime Museum invites you to the grand opening of two new permanent exhibitions on May 17th (6:00pm-9:00pm). Click here to RSVP.

April 17 Presentation of the 2024 DEP Award

All photos were taken by Ted Denning.

The meeting included a highlight of the IWWSG year – presentation of the 2024 E. Ted Erickson “Distinguished Environmental Professional Award” to John J. Kim, Director of the Illinois EPA by IWWSG Vice Chair David Holmberg. The Award, named in honor of founder E. Ted Erickson, was established by the IWWSG in 2000 to recognize an individual who has made a significant contribution(s) in the environmental area, especially at the local and regional levels. The award is granted based on recognition of the recipient’s community service advancing IWWSG goals, leadership / service to environmental professional organizations, including IWWSG, and contributions to the field of environmental laws / compliance / management / education. Congratulation, Director Kim!!

Past Recipients of the DEP Award

May 22 Membership Meeting / Facility Tour

Registration Open

We are planning to conclude our 76th year with another great event -- a May 22 tour of Circon Environmental (recently rebranded as Reworld), an active waste processing facility in Hodgkins, IL, followed by dinner at a great nearby Italian venue! Please follow the link above to register today! I hope to see you at this event!

Announcement of Nominees for ’24-’25 Steering Committee

Officers & Members

The nominated slate for ’24-’25 Steering Committee Officers & Members is listed below; members will vote on the slate at our May 22 membership meeting. After much thoughtful discussion, the current SC has concluded that the upcoming year needs to be a “transitional” year, with a key goal, as the year proceeds, of incorporating new individuals into active leadership & participation in IWWSG’s challenging day-to-day operations. Keeping IWWSG’s established dynamic post-pandemic momentum going is key to the long-term future strength of the Group. Thanks to several members who have already expressed interest in getting involved (“on deck!!”) in the Group’s operations during the upcoming year!!

Steering Committee (SC) Officers:

Chair = Barbara Scapardine - Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Vice Chair = David Holmberg - Acme Steel Co. - Retired

Recording Secretary = Judy Freeman - Gabriel Environmental

Treasurer = Dave Montes - TekLab, Inc.

SC Members:

Past Chair = Rob Mead - Ingredion Incorporated

Ted Denning - MWRDGC - Retired

Lazaro Lopez IV = Reworld (Circon Environmental)

Preet Mittal - MWRDGC

Ricardo Magallon - Cook County Department of Environment & Sustainability

Jay Patel - IEPA/ Bureau of Water - Retired