The Chicago River has a PR problem: Residents are scared to swim in it.
Who can blame them? From the 800-pound poop dump of 2004 to annual green dye, the river may seem gross and mysterious.
But Friends of the Chicago River executive director Margaret Frisbie wants to change the river’s bad rap.
Is the Chicago River Safe to Swim In?
It’s a complicated answer because rivers are complicated, Frisbie said.
Depending where you are in the river system and whether it’s rained, you’d probably be fine because the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is regularly monitoring water quality, according to Frisbie.
That’s in no small part thanks to restoration efforts.
- Decades ago, MWRD’s Tunnel and Reservoir Plan helped curb sewage overflows when it rains and restore fish species.
- In 2011, a new recreational water quality standard led to disinfecting at treatment plants and improving recreation.
Frisbie even said she thinks the water quality in the main stem of the Chicago River is ready for a triathlon — something Olympic open swimmers have had to navigate in Paris’ Seine River this year.
The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. (F.E. Compton & Company / Wikimedia Commons)
But the Skepticism Persists …
A lot of Chicagoans associate the river with sewage because of our history of raising the city out of the swamps in the 1800s and later reversing the river to keep wastewater out of Lake Michigan. Plus, heavy rains can still overwhelm pipes and send sewage overflow into the river.
It's interesting because it's the people who have been in Chicago the longest who have the worst opinion of the river system and have struggled harder to believe that it's healthy and accessible.
Margaret Frisbie, Friends of the Chicago River executive director
Why Changing the River’s Reputation Matters
Getting to the lake can be a beast on the bus and train depending on where you live, but the river flows through neighborhoods. And with a heating planet, accessible spots to cool off are important, Frisbie said.
A summer float in the North Branch of the Chicago River in 2022. (Dan Wendt / Friends of the Chicago River)
Plus, People Are Already Swimming In It
While organizers of the river’s first open swim event go back and forth with the city over a permit, unsanctioned swimming in the river is already happening. Frisbie said measures like boat traffic control and ladders could make the river safer for all.
