World Water Day 2024: Chicago groups lead new effort to protect fresh water, Lake Michigan, Great Lakes [Video]

CHICAGO (WLS) — It’s one of our most important natural resources: the fresh water of the Chicago River, Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes.

Alaina Harkness is on a mission to build a future where our water helps us thrive.

“We really think about the water resources we have in the region as precious but it’s not just our fresh water. It’s also the wastewater that we have. The industrial waste water that contains really valuable minerals, materials, nutrients and energy,” said Harkness, who is the Executive Director of Current and CEO of Great Lakes ReNew.

The national science foundation established a regional innovation engine in awarding up to $160 million over 10 years to Chicago’s water resource non-profit Current and founding Great Lakes ReNEW, a regional collaboration to tackle major environmental issues. That includes taking forever chemicals and valuable resources out of our drinking and wastewater.

“I would say the core grand …