Illinois Water Environment Association
Sustainability Committee Webinar: Space to Grow
3/12/202612:00 PM - 12:30 PM CST
Location: Zoom
Event Description
Sustainability Committee Webinar: MWRD Space to Grow Program - Greening Chicago Schoolyards
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Noon to 12:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar
Since 2014, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Chicago Department of Water Management (CDWM), Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Openlands to transform CPS schoolyards into dynamic places to learn and play, while also educating them on the importance of green infrastructure to manage stormwater. This program, known as Space to Grow, gives students and their neighbors living in low-income communities improved outdoor spaces to play. These permeable surface areas are equipped with new playgrounds, turf fields, rain gardens and other features designed to collect more rainfall and keep it out of the sewers. The permeable surfaces will reduce flooding, reduce the load on the combined sewer system, and encourage the use of green infrastructure techniques that soak up more stormwater by using natural solutions.
Speaker: Ky Ochsner, MWRD, Assistant Civil Engineer
Hosted by IWEA's Sustainability Committee
Members $20 | Nonmembers $30
.5 PDH/TCH
Zoom webinar link will be forwarded by separate email the morning of March 12.
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Noon to 12:30 p.m.
Zoom Webinar
Since 2014, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) has partnered with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Chicago Department of Water Management (CDWM), Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Openlands to transform CPS schoolyards into dynamic places to learn and play, while also educating them on the importance of green infrastructure to manage stormwater. This program, known as Space to Grow, gives students and their neighbors living in low-income communities improved outdoor spaces to play. These permeable surface areas are equipped with new playgrounds, turf fields, rain gardens and other features designed to collect more rainfall and keep it out of the sewers. The permeable surfaces will reduce flooding, reduce the load on the combined sewer system, and encourage the use of green infrastructure techniques that soak up more stormwater by using natural solutions.
Speaker: Ky Ochsner, MWRD, Assistant Civil Engineer
Hosted by IWEA's Sustainability Committee
Members $20 | Nonmembers $30
.5 PDH/TCH
Zoom webinar link will be forwarded by separate email the morning of March 12.
