The Conservation Foundation recently awarded the City of Elmhurst Wastewater Treatment Plant with their “Clean Water Award” for keeping the City’s local waterways clean and healthy. The City’s wastewater system consists of 10 sanitary lift stations that pump 20 million gallons of wastewater per day (mgd) into the City’s wastewater reclamation facility. The facility is closely monitored to ensure that the water quality of the effluent meets or exceeds the permit limits imposed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

The City recognizes that quality effluent is one of many factors that contribute to a river system’s health. In 2015, the City completed a project along the Salt Creek Greenway Trail that contained innovative green infrastructure solutions for stormwater management. The project provides landscape enhancements, porous paving, and stormwater quality improvements that will aid sedimentation/siltation and mineral/nutrient mitigation while promote indigenous plant growth. Each location has a display board describing the improvements and methods utilized and the benefits to the environment.

The City continues to promote environmental sustainability and conservation through its educational facility tours, residential rain barrel program, holiday cooking grease collection and pumpkin recycling programs throughout the community.