NSWRD Board Trustees Continues To Be Fiscally Responsible

At a recent meeting to review the finances of the North Shore Water Reclamation District (NSWRD), the Board of Trustees was pleased to confirm that the District remains in excellent financial health. The NSWRD has accomplished responsible budget management over a period of many years. Well-executed capital planning has resulted in a state-of-the-art operation that will continue to provide excellent service to customers with no planned increases in fees. NSWRD fees are currently below the national average.

The Board has taken advantage of extremely low interest rates using low interest IEPA loans to help fund long-term capital projects while continuing to maintain a healthy reserve. Costs that were locked in wherever possible have resulted in utility spending coming in under budget. The District’s pension fund is fully funded, and successful negotiations are expected to continue with the employees when current agreements expire.

“The District has always put its customers’ needs first, which includes providing the highest level of service, done in a fiscally prudent manner,” stated Thomas Swarthout, Ward 4 Trustee. “Keeping our water ways clean and safe is paramount in our operations that are around the clock.”

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 District is the 2nd largest water reclamation district in Illinois serving more than 300,000 people in eastern Lake County. For more information about the NSWRD please visit http://www.northshorewrd.org/