When residents flush their toilets or dump dirty water down their drains, they most likely don’t think about where that water goes.

The Fox Metro Water Reclamation District treats wastewater for approximately 300,000 people living in Aurora, North Aurora, Boulder Hill, Montgomery, Oswego, Sugar Grove and portions of Yorkville and Batavia.

Recently the Fox River Ecosystem Partnership (FREP) held one of its Noon Network events at the Fox Metro treatment plant in Oswego Township, near Montgomery. The organization, which promotes a healthy environment and, specifically, a healthy Fox River, was treated to a presentation on wastewater treatment and a tour of the facility.

FREP began its Noon Networks in the summer of 2001, and the organization hosts the events monthly throughout the Fox River Watershed area, according to Becky Hoag, communications manager for the organization.

“Our watershed is so large, all the way to the Wisconsin border and down to Ottawa, so we move our programs around the watershed,” she said.

The Noon Networks showcase projects and best management practices, she said.

Sue Glavan, Fox Metro chemist, and Eva Kiss, assistant lab supervisor, gave a presentation at the event about their work at Fox Metro. Hoag said the two often participate in FREP events and programs on behalf of Fox Metro.

The organization also has programs about the river at its monthly membership meetings, Hoag said.

“We move them all around the watershed so more people can attend,” she said.

Hoag said Fox Metro has played a key role in the Fox River Study Group, a group of stakeholders including local governments and environmental organizations that studies the water quality of the watershed.

Hoag said the Fox Metro presentation and tour helped the group understand the processes used to keep the river clean.

“We wanted to understand what it takes to treat the water and keep it clean,” she said. “Because we’re all downriver, so we’re hoping whoever is north of us is doing their part, so when the water gets to the next community it’s clean.”

Hoag said Fox Metro staff pointed to the area where they’re working on the construction of a new plant to comply with new Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements for phosphorous removal from its effluent, or treated wastewater that is discharged into the river. The agency is in the midst of the project, and it’s expected to begin operation in 2018, according to Fox Metro.

Hoag said during the tour the group also discussed the 1996 flood and the agency’s effort to mitigate damage.

“Most of us remember that tremendous flood and how it overpowered them,” she said. “But the progress they’ve made since then to prevent some of the overflow issues and problems is good to know.”

Hoag noted that Fox Metro hosts tours for local students, but said most people probably don’t know what the agency does.

“The kids are learning about it, but the ordinary residents have no idea,” she said. “You see those dome things or if you’re doing a flyover, you’ll see all this stuff. It’s just so interesting to see all the steps it takes.”