In this episode of Engineering Legends, host Chris Burke talks with Dick Lanyon, longtime leader at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and historian of Chicago’s water infrastructure. Dick shares the story behind the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, the bold engineering project that reversed the river and helped save the city from a public health crisis. He reflects on the political battles, engineering challenges, and lasting innovations that shaped the system we rely on today. The conversation also looks ahead to modern water management issues, including the future of the Chicago Area Waterway System.

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