To serve the citizens of Cook County by protecting and conserving our fresh water supply, educating on conservation efforts and promoting transparency of governance practices.

Background Information

A West African proverb states, “Filthy water cannot be washed.” Tragically this is the sad reality for so many people across the globe.  In Cook County we have an abundance of fresh water.  The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) plays a critical role is maintaining a clean and safe water supply by managing wastewater and storm water that flows into our lakes and rivers.   The agency builds and maintains the vast network of canals, sewers, and waste processing plants required to manage storm water and waste water. In effect, the MWRD washes our water so that we can enjoy the clean and safe water that we drink and use recreationally.

Given the importance of clean water to our everyday living and well being, as well as the economic viability of the region, the role of the MWRD and the Commissioners that manage its operations should not be taken lightly. The MWRD is an enormous agency with over 2,100 employees and an annual budget of more than $1.6 billion dollars. The $1.6 Billion dollar budget of the MWRD is funded by your tax dollars.  Yet, the average citizen is completely unaware of the agency’s operations and practices.  I wish to serve as a Commissioner of the MWRD to achieve several key priorities that are briefly described below.

Goals and objectives

1)I will advocate to increase community awareness of MWRD’s functions and issues before the Commissioners

I will promote participation of all municipalities in water conservation efforts.  As a county we need to involve residents in adopting everyday practices that ensure the protection and preservation of our water resources and natural ecosystem.  This includes effective storm water runoff management which directly affects area flooding and prevention.

2)I will assist the district with developing ways to reduce the amount of energy used at treatment plants.

Cleaning the water requires a tremendous amount of energy that is costly and contributes to the generation of green house gases.  The district should adopt more energy-efficient and green technologies that will reduce the amount of energy consumed by our facilities and in turn lower our operating costs.

3)I will promote Transparent & Accountable Governance.

I will encourage the agency to adopt a standard communication plan to inform the public about agency operations and account for the agency’s annual operating budget.  I will also advocate for increased public participation from the communities we serve so that all citizens of the county have knowledge of the many important issues before the Commission.

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