The Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District, originally known as The Sanitary District of Bloom Township, includes six municipalities: Chicago Heights, South Chicago Heights, Homewood, Park Forest, Crete and Steger; in four townships: Bloom, Rich, Monee and Crete; in two counties: Cook and Will.
The Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District, originally known as The Sanitary District of Bloom Township, includes six municipalities: Chicago Heights, South Chicago Heights, Homewood, Park Forest, Crete and Steger; in four townships: Bloom, Rich, Monee and Crete; in two counties: Cook and Will.
The Sanitary District’s beginning dates back to April, 1928, when the Cook County Court was successfully petitioned for the formation of the District. The first Trustees were appointed June 25, 1928. The District’s incorporation was approved in accordance with the State of Illinois statutes established in 1917.
E. Harry Ashdown was appointed District Engineer in 1928 and served until 1936.
As originally formed, the District’s general boundaries were: Torrence Avenue on the east; Glenwood-Dyer, Glenwood-Lansing Roads on the north; Western Avenue on the west; and the Cook-Will County line on the south. In the ensuing years, some of the original areas disconnected from the District; certain areas returned and new areas were annexed.
Prior to the Sanitary District’s formation, the area’s first wastewater treatment, and one of the first municipal treatment plants in Illinois, was built on the main plant site in 1907 by the City of Chicago Heights. Originally constructed as a Cameron septic tank and contact bed, it was converted to an Imhoff tank and trickling filter treatment plant in 1921. The filter treatment plant could service a capacity of 18,000 people.
After the formation of the Sanitary District, funds became available by late 1933, to construct an activated sludge treatment plant. It was built and placed into operation in January, 1937.
On October 5, 1936 Walter L. Ashdown was appointed as Superintendent of the District.
In 1945, the Village of South Chicago Heights was annexed into the District. In 1947, properties in Park Forest began to annex into the District.
It was 17 years later before major capital improvements were required. On November 3, 1953, voters of the Sanitary District approved a bond issue for expansion of the treatment plant. Construction was completed in November, 1956.
Walter L Ashdown continued to serve the District until May 1, 1952 when J Edward Meers was appointed by the Board of Trustees as Manager.
Mid-1966 marked the beginning of a decade of major improvements and expansion of the District’s total physical plant. On June 14, 1966 voters of the Sanitary District approved a $2.9 million bond issue for treatment plant improvements. Construction of the expansion was completed in November, 1970.
In 1970, land was purchased for $200,000 and contracts were awarded for an $857,000 sludge disposal project, which included construction of a sludge force main, sludge lagoon and pumping facilities. The total project was completed and placed into operation in October, 1971.
On May 6, 1975, voters approved by more than a 4 to 1 margin a $2.75 million bond issue for the construction of Advanced Treatment Facilities to meet new state and federal water quality standards. The amount represented the 25% local share of the total estimated cost of the project; federal and state grants provided the remaining 75%. On October 20, 1975, the District’s Board of Trustees voted to annex the Villages of Crete and Steger. Both communities had previously approved measures to become a part of the Sanitary District.
J. Edward Meers, Manager of the Sanitary District for 24 years, resigned November 1, 1975.
In 1975, the Board of Trustees awarded contracts for the construction of the Regional Interceptor Sewer project, to service the Villages of Crete and Steger. Also, construction began for the Advanced Treatment Facilities. The construction cost was approximately $14.7 million.
In April 1976, the Sanitary District of Bloom Township was designated the “best operated treatment plant” in Illinois among all municipalities serving 50,000 and more persons. The award was made by the Illinois Association of Water Pollution Control Operators on the basis of an independent engineering evaluation by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
James L. Daugherty was appointed by the Board of Trustees as Manager to replace J Edward Meers on November 15, 1976.
Due to the expanding service area and confusion over identity, the name of the Sanitary District of Bloom Township was officially changed to the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District on September 17, 1979.
In 1979 construction began for an excess flow treatment facility at the main plant, which provided treatment for wet weather flows.
On April 28, 1983, the District’s Board of Trustees voted to annex the Village of Homewood. A construction project was completed to connect the Village of Homewood sewers to the District’s main treatment plant. Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District subsequently received title to the former Homewood Treatment Plant as a governmental contribution to use as an excess flow facility.
In 1990, the Water Pollution Control Federation awarded the William D. Hatfield Award to James L. Daugherty of Central States Water Pollution Control Association in recognition of outstanding performance in works operation, management and advancement of knowledge in the field of water pollution control.
The Radebaugh Award was awarded to James L Daugherty by the Central States Water Environment Association in recognition of authoring the technical presentation judged to be the best demonstration of knowledge and advancement of the science at the 1996 association annual meeting.
In 2007, Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District completed construction of a 35 million gallon Wet Weather Retention Facility for the temporary storage of wastewater during peak rainfall periods. The cost of the project was approximately $5.4 million and was funded by a low interest IEPA loan.
The unincorporated Holbrook area was annexed by the District in 2007. Sewers were needed to mitigate continuing pollution of Butterfield Creek by septic tank overflow. Construction was completed in September 2007 at a cost of approximately $1.5 million. The project was funded by a low interest IEPA loan.
District Engineer Jennifer Hindel was appointed as Manager by the Board of Trustees in 2008 after James L. Daugherty retired from the District after over 35 years of service.
In 2002 and 2009, the District relined various District-owned sewers. The 2009 project was funded by an IEPA loan and a grant awarded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
The Illinois Association of Wastewater Agencies awarded the Outstanding Member Award to Executive Director Jennifer Hindel in 2010, for outstanding contribution in the field of waste collection treatment and purification providing improvement to the environment.
In 2010, a ferric chloride feed facility was constructed for approximately $1 million, funded largely by a local industry, to mitigate the effects of sodium sulfate discharges.
The Radebaugh Award was awarded to Executive Director Jennifer Hindel by the Central States Water Environment Association in recognition of authoring the technical presentation judged to be the best demonstration of knowledge and advancement of the science at the 2013 association annual meeting.
The District has earned awards from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies for excellent compliance with treatment plant permit requirements, for every year since 2002. The District achieved 100% compliance in 2008, 2014 and 2016.
700 West End Avenue, Chicago Heights, IL 60411
Phone: 708-754-0525
|Fax: 708-754-3940
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