RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF OCTOBER 4, 2018
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing the “Imagine a Day Without Water” campaign
Body
WHEREAS, the “Imagine a Day Without Water” campaign, held October 10, 2018, is an organized effort to highlight the critical importance of reliable access to clean water in our lives and the investment in infrastructure that is necessary to protect this valuable resource; and
WHEREAS, the infrastructure that brings water to and from homes and businesses is essential to the quality of life and economic vitality of Cook County; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago treats wastewater for the equivalent of 10 million people (residential and industrial waste generated in Cook County) and manages storm water for the second-largest county in the country; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago plays a key role in protecting our drinking water supply, Lake Michigan; and
WHEREAS, staff from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be visiting Space to Grow Schools to lead special presentations and activities about this campaign; and
WHEREAS, water crises across the country, ranging from contaminated water, drought, and flooding, show the severe impact of what can happen to public health and the well-being of a community without access to clean drinking water; and
WHEREAS, droughts, flooding, and other weather-related challenges put pressure on water systems that are ill-equipped and ill-prepared to manage such extreme events; and
WHEREAS, utilities nationwide are grappling with aging infrastructure and lack reliable revenue and funding to maintain their systems, and even more so when it comes to upgrading them; and
WHEREAS, one-fifth of the U.S. economy would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean source of water; and
WHEREAS, managing water responsibly is critical to our nation’s public and environmental health and to a high quality of life through economic commerce, power generation, and recreation; and
WHEREAS, investing in drinking water and wastewater systems will promote a bright and prosperous future for generations to come; and
WHEREAS, innovation in water conservation and water reuse will drive job growth, economic development, and establish a 21st century paradigm of water management in the United States; and
WHEREAS, decentralized storm water infrastructure will not only ease the burden on our sewers but will also provide a maximum return in benefits to the public, the economy, and the environment; and
WHEREAS, for each job created in the water sector, another 3.68 jobs are added in the national economy. And for every $1 spent on infrastructure improvements, the U.S. generates $6 in returns; and
WHEREAS, different regions face different water challenges, so the solutions to strengthen our drinking water and wastewater systems must be locally driven, but reinvestment in our water must be a national priority; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, recognizes that water is essential to the quality of life and economic competitiveness, and acknowledge the importance of educating the public about the value of water through the “Imagine a Day Without Water” campaign; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: October 4, 2018
Approved: MARIYANA T. SPYROPOULOS, President; BARBARA J. MCGOWAN, Vice President; FRANK AVILA, Chairman, Committee on Finance; KEN DUNKIN; MARTIN J. DURKAN; JOSINA MORITA; DEBRA SHORE; KARI K. STEELE; DAVID J. WALSH; Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Approved as to Form and Legality: Susan T. Morakalis, General Counsel