We wanted to know more about Chicago's wastewater treatment facilities and where the water goes after it leaves the facilities. We came to consensus from using Google Maps on where Chicago's treated water goes.
We decided that it's the Chicago River!
We decided that it's the Chicago River!
So this got us thinking that even though we know the treated water goes into the Chicago River (or various parts of it--North Shore Channel, Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, South Branch/North Branch, etc.), we don't know which way the Chicago River goes as it relates to its connection to Lake Michigan. Does Lake Michigan flow into the Chicago River? Or does the Chicago River flow into Lake Michigan?
We are thinking heavily about this for a few reasons:
1. We've heard we get our drinking water from the lake. Treated water still has lots of dissolved stuff in it, along with bleach and bacteria. Does this mean the lake is really dirty if the water from the Chicago River flows into Lake Michigan?
2. If the Lake flows into the Chicago River, is the lake losing water that would otherwise get used for drinking?
3. If the river flows one way, and keeps receving treated water from other WWTFs, does the river get really, really dirty as it continues to flow?
And this circled back to...we don't know how the water flows!!! We have to figure that out!
We are thinking heavily about this for a few reasons:
1. We've heard we get our drinking water from the lake. Treated water still has lots of dissolved stuff in it, along with bleach and bacteria. Does this mean the lake is really dirty if the water from the Chicago River flows into Lake Michigan?
2. If the Lake flows into the Chicago River, is the lake losing water that would otherwise get used for drinking?
3. If the river flows one way, and keeps receving treated water from other WWTFs, does the river get really, really dirty as it continues to flow?
And this circled back to...we don't know how the water flows!!! We have to figure that out!