Notification from the EPA has allowed Chicago to adopt new standards that "will help to further the transformation of the Chicago river system from sewage canal to valuable recreational and economic asset," says Regional Administrator Susan Hedman.
"In May of this year, US EPA notified the State of Illinois that upgraded water quality standards were necessary to protect the health and safety of the increasing number of people who use these rivers for recreation," said Hedman.
According to U.S. Senator Dick Durban, "Chicago is a world-class city that deserves a world-class river. ...By raising water quality standards, we can improve the waterways in and around Chicago and make them more accessible for future generations."
A reporter at 'Environmental Proctection' writes that the approved standards will apply to the North and South Branches of the Chicago River, the North Shore Channel, the Cal-Sag Channel and the Little Calumet River. The EPA continues to review the other new and revised water quality standards that the State of Illinois has proposed for the Chicago Area Waterway System and the Lower Des Plaines River.
Read the full story: U.S. EPA approves new water quality standards for Chicago River System
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