In this article, we have collected current actions and resources with a goal to help reduce water pollution and educate the community on good stewardship practices for clean water.
We thank the speakers, innovators, and attendees from our March Water Tuesday Town Hall for their contributions!
If you have other resources for us to consider including or you'd like to do a project related to water in Edgewater, please reach out to us!
Take Action
1. Contact your legislators with these action alerts from the Illinois Environmental Council
4. Submit your Edgewater flooding spot to the EEC Flood Community Assessment
5. Sign up for Overflow Action Alerts
Resources
Flood Factor
RainReady Rain Barrels Sheet
RainReady Trees Sheet
Water Tuesday Town Hall
If you would like to watch the recording or share it with friends, the video is available here.
Thank you to our speakers & innovators!
We thank the speakers, innovators, and attendees from our March Water Tuesday Town Hall for their contributions!
If you have other resources for us to consider including or you'd like to do a project related to water in Edgewater, please reach out to us!
Take Action
1. Contact your legislators with these action alerts from the Illinois Environmental Council
- Protect Funding for Sustainable Farming and Freshwater Resources
- Replace Toxic Lead Service Lines NOW
- Order yours here. Testing your drinking water for lead, you can make a service request for a Water Lead Test Kit. The kit is free and is mailed to your address with a set of instructions that can be requested in multiple languages. If you are in Edgewater, send us your results.
4. Submit your Edgewater flooding spot to the EEC Flood Community Assessment
5. Sign up for Overflow Action Alerts
Resources
Flood Factor
- Flood Factor™ is a free online tool that makes it easy to find and visualize a home's past, current, and future flood risks.
- Whether you are appalled or intrigued by the Chicago River and canal, it belongs to you. According to Public Trust law, surface waters — those waters you can see above ground like rivers and lakes — are collectively held by those who live around them, other species in the ecosystem and future generations. Now that you know your role as steward of the water, what can you do? This toolkit guides you.
- To help northeastern Illinois better understand and prepare for flood risks, CMAP (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning) developed the regional flood susceptibility index. The comprehensive data resource helps communities identify areas that have experienced flood damage and may be at greater risk of flooding in the future.
- The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago’s (MWRD’s) Green Neighbor Guide offers instructions and tips to implement various green infrastructure installations.
- Also in Spanish. Making your own household cleaners can be easier and cheaper. By using this alternative, you will help prevent these toxins from entering our waterways and you will also be protecting your body.
RainReady Rain Barrels Sheet
RainReady Trees Sheet
- In communities, better water management means that homes, schools, and businesses are prepared for rain—whether
too much or too little. RainReady programs keep residences secure and dry, services running, and rivers and lakes clean.
- Use this worksheet to keep track of the number of times you use water and in which way
- On conversation & storm water management, Lake Michigan, and the Chicago River.
- Mission: Reduce air and water pollution within Edgewater/Andersonville, while educating the community on good stewardship practices for clean air and water.
Water Tuesday Town Hall
If you would like to watch the recording or share it with friends, the video is available here.
Thank you to our speakers & innovators!
- Megan Vidis, Chicago Department of Water Management, https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/water.html
- Iyana Simba, Illinois Environmental Council, https://ilenviro.org/
- Mariyana Spyropoulos, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago, https://mwrd.org/
- Sharon Louis, Chicago Black Water Council and South Side Lakefront Erosion Task Force, https://www.facebook.com/BlacksInGreen/posts/black-chicago-water-counciltomorrow-is-water-is-a-human-right-or-not-discuss-eme/2861524167295560/
- Tom Heineman, GET Beaches PAC, http://getbeaches.org/
- Alaina Harkness, Current Water, https://www.currentwater.org/
- Mary Pat McGuire, The Water Lab, https://www.thewaterlab.org/
- Dom Marlow, Master of City Design at University of Illinois Chicago