Showcasing its leadership in advancing stormwater solutions and public education, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has earned the prestigious Grand Prize from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES). The award, presented in the Environmental Communications Awards category, recognizes the MWRD’s standout publication, “Green Infrastructure Community Guide: Stormwater Strategies for Resilient Neighborhoods.”

The award was presented on April 16 during a ceremony at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C.

Released earlier this year, the MWRD’s comprehensive guide, created by the Engineering Department and Office of Public Affairs, is designed to educate and empower communities to use green infrastructure as a powerful tool to manage stormwater. The publication provides municipalities, planners, and residents with practical strategies for installing and maintaining green infrastructure at a neighborhood scale.

By promoting nature‑based solutions and community‑driven planning, the guide supports the MWRD’s mission to reduce flooding, protect regional water quality, and safeguard public health.

“The MWRD is honored to receive this national recognition,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “Our goal is to give communities the resources they need to build resilient, sustainable neighborhoods, and this guide helps advance that effort.”

Recent MWRD green infrastructure projects demonstrate the guide’s concepts in action:

• The Space to Grow schoolyard transformations, converting 34 Chicago Public Schools lots into rain gardens and bioswales for play and learning;
• Installation of green alleys in Harwood Heights, with design retention capacity for 100,000 gallons of stormwater;
• The UIC Arthington Mall Plaza project, featuring 37,000 sq ft of permeable pavement and rain gardens, retaining over 228,000 gallons per rain event

The Green Infrastructure Community Guide can be accessed at mwrd.org.