CHICAGO — The state of Illinois alleges in a lawsuit filed in the Cook County Circuit Court that four construction companies are violating the state's environmental laws by releasing pollutants into the Chicago River.
According to the Illinois Attorney General's Office, Case Foundation Company, Clark Construction Group LLC, Riverside Investment and Development Company and North Wacker Titleholder LLC are polluting the Chicago River with more than 6,000 gallons of contaminated water.
Workers from the companies, which are building a skyscraper on North Wacker Drive, were seen pumping contaminated ground water into the river which then "formed a plume" in the water. A local reporter posted a photo of the incident on social media showing the workers dumping opaque water into the river, the Attorney General's Office said.
"The Chicago River is not a dumping ground for companies to get rid of contaminated water," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a statement. "My lawsuit seeks to hold the defendants accountable and protect the water quality of the Chicago River."
Madigan seeks civil penalties and is attempting to stop any future environmental law violations.