Report: Water District Staff Swimming in Dough

A new investigation shows taxpayers are getting soaked by a little known agency that's handing out big salary hikes and benefits.

The county-wide Metropolitan Water Reclamation District is in charge of storm runoff and sewage treatment, and a nearly $2 billion-dollar budget.

Thursday's storm waters are receding, but the people who head the water reclamation district are enjoying a high tide of salaries and benefits.

At a time when city workers are taking pay cuts and furlough days, some employees at the MWRD are making more than Mayor Daley, and he earns $200 thousand a year.

A joint investigation by the Better Government Association and the Chicago News Cooperative found some people making more than $150-thousand dollars a year in just overtime.

In the past ten years the water district hiked taxes by 30 percent. During just the past five years the district doubled the number of people earning over $100,000, and tripled the number making more than $200,000.

Dan Mihalopoulos was the reporter crunching the payroll numbers.

"The top executive at the Water Reclamation District makes more than $250,000," said Mihalopoulos, "And he's one of 16 employees that make $200,000 or more."

The nine member board is headed by Terry O'Brien, who also ran for Cook County Board President but was beaten by Toni Preckwinkle.

We were unable to reach O'Brien, but he told the Better Government Association investigators that his people are paid for what they know, not who they know.

The story will be in the Chicago issue of the New York Times on Friday.

A complete payroll analysis is avalable at chicagonewscoop.org.