In October 2021, the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) was invited to Chicago to exhibit at the largest water related technical exhibition and conference in the world, WEFTEC. Hosted by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), which through its 75 state, territorial, and regional member associations has over 30,000 members, WEFTEC draws nearly 20,000 water professionals annually.
WEF’s particular interest was in the historic glass media that depict early ISWS research efforts in sanitation, waterborne disease, and wastewater treatment. ISWS accomplishments in the fields of waterborne disease and wastewater treatment helped change the course of water treatment and sanitation in the U.S. in the early 1900s.
ISWS and Prairie Research Institute communications staff developed six themed posters and two additional posters to draw attention to the history of the ISWS. The posters were exhibited during the three-day WEFTEC event. Throughout the exhibition attendees stopped by to learn more about ISWS history, or to share their own stories of historical information in their own files.
The posters represent only 1%-2% of the historic glass plates and lantern slides in storage at the ISWS. ISWS staff are hopeful that all 1,400 glass media will be available to the public at some time in the future.
WEF is providing the ISWS with exhibit space again at WEFTEC 2022, which will be held at the New Orleans Convention Center, October 10-12.
Below is a sample image from each poster displayed at WEFTEC 2021, along with a link to the full poster.
A map showing July-August 1911 dissolved oxygen levels in drainage canals of the Sanitary District of Chicago. The image was scanned from a 3" x 4" glass slide in the Water Survey's archive.
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Historical Wastewater Archives at the Illinois State Water Survey
An ISWS scientist conducting lab experiments on the fermentation of corn stalks. This image was scanned from a glass slide in the ISWS archives.
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Wastewater Related Science at ISWS: 1904-1931
Aerial view of the activated sludge plant in Pasadena, California.
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Wastewater Treatment Plants across the U.S.
Sewage septic tank, Urbana, Illinois.
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Illinois Wastewater Plants
Setting syphons for the controlling chamber at the Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, sewage plant.
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Wastewater System: Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
General plan for the Fairmount, Minnesota, sewage plant.
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Wastewater Plant Schematics: 1905-1920
Deaths from typhoid fever in sewered and unsewered cities around the world.
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Typhoid in the U.S. and Abroad: 1904-1931
Typhoid fever distribution in Rock Island, Illinois, in 1911.
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Typhoid in Illinois: 1904-1931
