The name Chicago comes from a Native American word for wild leeks that grew on the banks of the Chicago River. By the early 1840s, the Chicago River was a disaster. Untreated sewage and industrial waste flowed into the Chicago River and were carried into Lake Michigan where they overwhelmed the drinking water intake. Because of this, thousands of people die every year from water-borne diseases. Wild animals were crossing the river mud. It was time for Chicago to take