Water Quality Advancements Make "Swimming the Distance" Possible

For 37 years, Friends of the Chicago River has advocated for a clean, safe, and accessible river system, leading to dramatic improvements from sewage disinfection to the recent phosphorus agreement with the MWRD. We’ve come a long way since the days when the river was treated like a neglected sewer, but there are still many issues to explore before we can all start swimming in it. 

On March 9, 2017, Friends will lead water quality experts, policy advocates, and urban swimming champions in a dialogue and Possibility Panel at the 11th Chicago River Summit, Swimming the Distance. Building on enhanced water quality standards and increased recreation, this year’s summit asks, “How do we get from here to there?”

This week, Friends' Executive Director Margaret Frisbie discussed water quality advancements with Chicago Tonight and DNAinfo.

Watch the Chicago Tonight video here:

To register and learn more about the 2017 Chicago River Summit, click here.