Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup Recognizes Brian Dorn

At a recent meeting of the Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup (DRWW), Brian Dorn, Executive Director of the North Shore Water Reclamation District (NSWRD), was recognized for his outstanding work as a member of the group. Dorn served on the committee to form the DRWW, initially holding the office of Vice President and then that of President. He was presented with a special plaque depicting a great blue heron, in line with the DRWW’s tradition of presenting water related bird art to exceptional members.

“I am honored for the opportunity to have served on the Des Plaines Watershed Workgroup Executive Board since its inception in 2015, working alongside many dedicated professionals and watershed stakeholders to improve the water quality of the Des Plaines River”, stated Dorn. “The DRWW has accomplished much in a short amount of time, and I am confident that with the continued efforts of the DRWW membership, water quality improvements will be achieved efficiently and economically utilizing sound scientific data while ensuring that water quality decisions are made at the local level.”

The Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup (DRWW) is a voluntary, dues paying organization with a mission to bring together a diverse coalition of stakeholders to work together to improve water quality in the Des Plaines River and its tributaries in a cost effective manner to meet Illinois EPA requirements. The DRWW monitors water quality within the Des Plaines River and its tributaries to identify and prioritize water quality improvement projects and assists stakeholders to secure grant funding to offset the cost. Monitoring data allows for a greater understanding of the water quality impairments, identifies priority restoration activities, and tracks water quality improvements. The Workgroup is committed to an approach for attaining water quality standards that focus on stakeholder involvement, monitoring, and locally led decision-making based on sound science. The NSWRD has been a part of the group since it was established.

The North Shore Water Reclamation District is a municipal body dedicated to the beneficial reuse of our water resources while protecting Lake Michigan, local waterways, and the environment through sustainable and fiscally responsible wastewater reclamation practices at our facilities. The NSWRD owns and operates 3 major Water Reclamation Facilities (WRF) located in Gurnee, Waukegan, and Highland Park, Illinois, and more than 100 miles of intercepting sewer lines and 10 pumping stations which collect and convey wastewater from local sewer systems to the WRFs. Additional NSWRD facilities include the Biosolids Recycling Facility in Zion, the Administration Building and Laboratory in Gurnee, and the Maintenance Building in Waukegan. The NSWRD is governed by an elected Board of Trustees vested with full powers to tax and enact all necessary rules within District boundaries that are the Wisconsin border on the north, Lake-Cook Road on the south, Lake Michigan on the east, and the I-94 toll road on the west. For more information about the NSWRD please visit http://www.northshorewrd.org/ .