Candidates get feet wet in water district race

Eight candidates running for three spots on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District hope to convince voters they’re the right one to prevent flooding and control costs.

Republicans Carl Segvich and Harold “Noonie” Ward, along with the Green Party’s Dave Ehrlich, Karen Roothaan and Nasrin R. Khalili, will vie against three Democrats, the party that historically has won seats on the district board, in the Nov. 6 election. The Democrats are Kari Steele, Patrick Daley Thompson and incumbent Debra Shore.

Chicagoan Ehrlich, 54, is a visiting assistant professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology. His emphasis is on cutting costs, offering a more transparent contracting process and implementing green infrastructure to diminish runoff and flooding.

Khalili, 57, of Chicago, is associate professor of environmental management at IIT. She wants the district to focus on sustainability and to reduce its environmental footprint through investing in green infrastructure and promoting reuse of water.

Roothaan, 59, of Chicago is a teacher. Her chief concerns are toxics in wastewater, such as prescription drugs, flooding related to changing weather and the eventual reversal of the Chicago River.

Segvich, 50, of Chicago is a Republican committeeman. He lists as priorities addressing water contamination, reducing pension costs and requiring the district to list more financial information online.

Shore, 60, is an Evanston resident and founding editor of Chicago Wilderness magazine. Passing a strong stormwater initiative to reduce flooding and improve water quality is crucial, she said, along with promoting more green infrastructure.

Chicagoan Steele, 37, is a chemist with L’Oreal USA. She wants to use her background to develop new policies regarding wastewater treatment and flooding. She also wants to involve the public more in district activities.

Thompson, 42, a Chicago attorney, is nephew to former Mayor Richard M. Daley. If elected, he said the job would be his full-time focus.

Ward could not be reached for comment and has not provided the Daily Herald with requested biographical information.