ECC Environmental Biology Students Visit Local Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants

News story previous slide News story next slide News story previous slide News story next slide

A group of Elgin Community College (ECC) biology students gained firsthand insight into how local water systems operate through visits to two water and wastewater treatment facilities in Elgin and South Elgin.

ECC Biology Professor Frederick Vogt led his Environmental Biology class on tours of the Riverside Water Treatment Plant in Elgin on October 31, 2025, and the Fox River Water Reclamation District in South Elgin on November 7, 2025.

At the Riverside facility, City of Elgin Water Director Nora Bertram explained how water sourced from the Fox River is treated, stored, and distributed to ensure a safe and reliable supply for area households and businesses. Students received an overview of the full treatment process and observed each step during a guided tour of the plant.

“I thought both of the water treatment field trips were very informative,” said Ashley Maloney, an ECC student. “The professionals were passionate about the work they do, and happy to answer questions. These visits gave insight into the breadth of STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] careers out there.”

During the visit to the Fox River Water Reclamation District, students learned how wastewater from homes and businesses is treated before being safely returned to the Fox River. 

Project Engineer Franklin Jakubow provided a detailed explanation of the process and guided students through each stage of wastewater treatment. Students were taught how wastewater is treated to become water that is safe to return to the Fox River, Vogt said. Students watched each step in the process during a comprehensive tour of the facility. Vogt’s class also visited the on-site laboratory where the city tests the quality and precision of their work by meeting EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) mandates. 

“I found the trip to the wastewater treatment plant to be a very informative experience that taught me more about the inner workings of our water system here in Illinois,” said student Erik Vazquez. “I found going through the treatment plant and seeing all the contraptions with my own eyes while the workers explained how they worked made me understand it way more than I would've in a class setting.”

Student Kristina Milinchuk said it was interesting to see all the steps that went into the process of sanitization because she would have never considered half of the things that needed to be done for the water to be safe. 

Biology student Connor Lund said he believes getting outside of the classroom and getting more “hands-on” with learning helps with the learning process and helps him understand the material more.