Precaution is advised for certain parts of
the Chicago Area Waterway System while
the Illinois Environmental Protection
Agency conducts an evaluation
(see inside)
to determine appropriate uses for such
waterways.
The designated waterways receive
non-disinfected discharges from sewage
treatment plants, industries and other
sources and may contain harmful
bacteria and other germs.
Due to high germ content and the risk of
illness, the waterways (see specified sections
on map) have been deemed unsuitable for
activities that involve direct body
contact, including:
• Wading
• Swimming
• Jet skiing/Waterskiing/Tubing
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The Chicago area is home to a large and
diverse series of waterways used for
commercial and recreational purposes by
people across Cook and neighboring
counties, the state of Illinois and the Midwest.
The demands on the Chicago area waterways
have changed significantly over the last few
decades. Improved water quality conditions
and fisheries are attracting greater numbers
of diverse recreational users.
For this purpose, the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency along with other federal,
state and local agencies has started on a
multi-year, comprehensive evaluation of the
waterways. The evaluation, called a Use
Attainability Analysis, will be the first such
in-depth analysis in 30 years.The results of
the study will be used to determine how
Chicago area waterways can best be used
commercially and recreationally in the future.
The IEPA expects to complete this evaluation
by 2005.
Public meetings will continue to be held
throughout the Chicago area to keep all
interested parties up to date on the Use
Attainability Analysis and how it will impact
the waterways. For more information about
public meetings and the evaluation, please
call 847-294-4000
or visit the web site at
http://www.ChicagoAreaWaterways.org.
Additional Resources
For more
information regarding suitable uses
of the designated waterways or the waterway
evaluation, please call 847-294-4000 or visit
http://www.ChicagoAreaWaterways.org.
For general information, access the following
web sites:
Illinois Department of Public Health
http://www.idph.state.iLus/envhealth/beachhome.htm
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.state.iLus/water
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of
Greater Chicago
Dump Hotline 1-800-332-DUMP
http://www.mwrdgc.dstil.us/
For more information on fish advisories and
other public health concerns contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5
Phone 800-621-8431
http://www.epa.gov/regions/
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Phone 404-639-3311
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/
Illinois Department of Public Health
Phone 888-522-1282
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/press03/fish.htm
http://www.idph.state.iLus/envhealthlfactsheets/
fishadv.htm
Friends of the Chicago River
Phone 312-939-0490
http://www.chicagoriver.org
Publication Date: 10/2003
These precautions apply to the following
designated waterways in the Chicago Area:
•
Calumet-Sag Channel
•
Little Calumet River North Leg
From the Grand Calumet River to the
Calumet-Sag Channel
•
Grand Calumet River
• Calumet River
Excludes the 6.8 mile segment extending from
the O'Brien Lock and Dam to Lake Michigan
•
Lake Calumet
•
Des Plaines River
From the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal to
the Interstate 55 bridge southwest of Joliet
• Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
•
South Branch of the Chicago River
•
South Fork of the South Branch ("Bubbly Creek")
• Chicago River
•
North Branch of the Chicago River
From the North Shore Channel to the
South Branch
•
North Shore Channel
The following precautions are advised when
using the Chicago area waterways or the
waters therein:
General Precautions
• Avoid swallowing the water.
•
Avoid physical contact with the water,
especially with exposed wounds that could
provide a route for harmful germs to enter
the body.
•
Wash hands thoroughly before touching or
consuming food products or objects to be
placed in mouth.
Children and people with weakened
immune systems are especially advised to
limit exposure to these waters.
Safety
Precautions
• All people, especially young children are
advised to wear life jackets at all times when
in a boat or on the shoreline.
• Survey water for hazardous obstacles
(e.g. rocks, driftwood, etc.) before and while
•
operating a boat.
• Obey boating rules when operating any
vessel on the waterways and be careful
when launching a boat.
•
Never dive or jump into the water, whether
from a boat or a bridge.
Fish Consumption Precautions
•
Be aware of fish consumption advisories for
the waterway and for the specific fish.
•
If you catch and keep fish from the
waterways, follow guidelines for fish
preparation.The fish advisory number is
888-522-1282 and the web site is
http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/
factsheetsllishadv.htm
Frequently Asked Questions
How do harmful germs get in the water?
Several sources contribute to the presence of harmful
germs in the waterways, including:
•
Faulty sewage disposal systems
• Combined and sanitary sewer overflows
•
Wild and domestic animal waste
• Illegal discharges to drains and sewers
• Storm water runoff
•
Treated, but non-disinfected wastewater effluent
The evaluation will help determine what kind of
sewage and storm control plan should be put in place
to control the various pollution sources.
What type of illness can you get from contact with
the Chicago Area Waterways?
Stomach illnesses - including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
and abdominal pain, as well as headache and low-grade
fever are most common. Skin rashes and earaches
("Swimmer's Itch") can also occur as a result of
immersion in contaminated waters.
Contact a physician immediately if any illness is
experienced following contact with any of the
waterways.
Why
is
the waterway evaluation being done now?
Conditions have changed dramatically since the original
environmental standards were established over three
decades ago. Major improvements in water quality,
altered land use and additional public access along the
waterways have occurred. Such improvements and
conditions have produced both greater opportunity and
heightened public interest in increased environmental
and recreational uses within and along the waterways.
The evaluation will modernize environmental regulations
to reflect the current and future potential uses of the
system.
Who is responsible for issuing
fish
advisories?
An inter-agency task force in the state of Illinois
routinely monitors and annually updates a fish
advisory for commercial and recreational fishermen.