Our
Partners
Leadership
![[Current]](/s/current-wordmark-2025-LB.png)
The H2NOW Chicago project is an initiative led by Current, an independent nonprofit organization with a mission to grow the blue economy, accelerate innovation, and solve pressing water challenges. Current is also the lead organization behind the NSF-backed Great Lakes Regional Innovation Engine, Great Lakes RENEW, of which H2NOW is a key testbed for vetting innovative water technology.
Water Quality Sensing and Testing
Proteus Instruments provides the real-time monitoring technology that powers H2NOW Chicago. Their fluorescence-based sensors enable continuous microbial water quality monitoring, supporting near real-time insights into Chicago’s rivers. Proteus also supported equipment installation, calibration, maintenance, and data collection systems for H2NOW’s monitoring sites.
Funding
CBBEL is a multidisciplinary consulting engineering firm that supports complex infrastructure projects. They are the lead sponsor for the 2026 H2NOW season.
The Chicago Community Trust provided significant project support for H2NOW Chicago through the Our Great Rivers program from 2019 - 2024.
Comcast provided funding to purchase the third Proteus probe in 2019, which allowed Current to install one probe on each branch of the Chicago River.
Utilities
The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) has been the most critical project partner right from the start. Current consulted the MWRD scientists on equipment installation, sampling procedures and permits, project goals, and data communication and interpretation. MWRD’s Monitoring and Research Department allowed Current to install Proteus probes at their existing monitoring locations and provided installation support and continues to assist with the probes’ repair and maintenance. It is also providing Current with the data from their monitoring programs, as well as data on plant effluent and lake diversion. MWRD’s microbiology lab has tested multiple river samples for fecal coliform using the EPA-approved method, so that Current could calibrate the Tecta B4 device, and it continues to conduct occasional check-testing on an as-needed basis. MWRD’s IT department initially assisted Current with establishing data flow from Proteus probes to ArcGIS platform. The MWRD continues to support the project on multiple levels, including review of data analysis results and strategic guidance and advice.
Chicago Department of Water Management (CDWM) helped acquire the novel microbial testing technology, Tecta B4 device, that Current uses to test the river samples for fecal coliforms. DWM is also providing guidance and advice on data analysis and interpretation, and data communication to the public.
Research
University of Illinois Extension in the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is providing guidance and expertise in designing a public survey and survey data analysis. The survey is meant to assess the public's perception of the river.
Northwestern University researchers are conducting principal component and correlation analyses using H2NOW data and data from other sources, such as MWRD monitoring programs, USGS gages, and rainfall. These analyses help better understand the various factors affecting water quality at each of the branches.
Community Engagement
Friends of the Chicago River provides project support through participation in planning meetings, project design, and public engagement strategies.
Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) provides guidance related to policy impact and synergies with other efforts associated with realizing the Our Great Rivers vision.
North River Commission (NRC) leads community engagement on the river's North Branch – their volunteers have surveyed community members at multiple events in years past, and helped promote awareness for the project.
Sierra Club has led volunteer water sample collection outings along the river's South Branch, which was instrumental in calibrating that branch's Proteus probe.
South Loop Chamber of Commerce (SLCC) leads community engagement on the river's South Branch - its volunteers have surveyed community members at multiple events, and helped promote awareness for the project.
Urban Rivers previously led water sample collection outings along the river's North Branch and Main Stem, which was instrumental in calibrating the Proteus probes at those locations in the beginning of this program. H2NOW helps their team better measure the impact that The Wild Mile – the world’s first mile-long floating ecopark located in the North Branch Canal – is having on the river’s health, since it’s being constructed between H2NOW’s North Branch probe, and the two probes further south.
Shedd provides project support through participation in planning meetings, project design, and public engagement strategies
The Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) provides project support through participation in planning meetings, project design, and public engagement strategies.
M. Harris & Kern and MG Strategy and Design develop the water quality gauges and data visualizations for the H2NOW Chicago website and provide PR and communications support for the project.
