Why do beaches close? Because we don't treat our sewage correctly. And that's unacceptable for Lake Michigan and Chicago.

I found the Lake Michigan Federation looking for more information on the link between untreated sewage, heavy rains and Chicago beach closings. This group (which I joined online here, you should too), has all the information.

Check this fact sheet out.

The kicker:

MWRD opens the Wilmette Locks to release sewage to Lake Michigan when the Channel can no longer handle wastewater overflows.

UNREAL!

This must stop. There has got to be a better way than releasing sewage into the Lake. What is this, the 17th century? And we have to close the beaches because of bacteria/sewage in the water? COME ON!