Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

A Once-Toxic River Just Became Swimmable Again

For nearly a century, swimming in the Chicago River was unthinkable as the waterway had become a toxic dumping ground for industrial pollution and sewage that created dangerous conditions for any human contact. On Sunday, September 21st, that changed forever when over 300 qualified swimmers dove into the river for the first organized open-water swim since 1926, marking one of the most remarkable environmental comeback stories in American history. The swimmers navigated one- and two-mile courses between the iconic downtown bridges while thousands of spectators lined the Riverwalk, witnessing a milestone that seemed impossible just decades ago.

The historic event raised $150,000 for ALS research while celebrating the river’s dramatic transformation from polluted industrial channel to clean urban waterway that now supports over 70 species of fish. Water quality testing in the weeks leading up to the swim consistently exceeded federal standards for human contact, proving that decades of environmental protection efforts, cleanup initiatives, and the Clean Water Act of 1972 had finally restored the river to swimmable condition. Becca Mann won the two-mile race in just over 40 minutes, while participants described swimming through downtown Chicago as “a different type of architecture tour” that offered a completely new perspective on their beloved city. This triumphant return to the water represents more than just a swim, it’s proof that environmental restoration is possible when communities commit to healing their waterways for future generations.

PrevPreviousThe That Dad Got His Baby’s Scars Tattooed
NextThis “Kitten Scanner” Is Saving KidsNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

The Self Portrait Auction That Made History For Female Artists

December 4, 2025

A haunting 1940 self portrait by Frida Kahlo titled “El sueño (La cama)” or “The Dream (The Bed)” sold Thursday for $54.7 million at Sotheby’s in New York, becoming the top selling work by any female artist at auction and surpassing the record held by Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower

Read More
Happy News

This Senior Couple Got Married In The Most UNEXPECTED Place

December 4, 2025

A senior couple decided to tie the knot in the most meaningful location possible: the YMCA pool where they first met during a water aerobics class, creating a wedding ceremony that was as unique as their love story. The couple exchanged vows while floating in the very same water where

Read More
Happy News

Lost Bach Music Played For First Time In 320 YEARS

December 4, 2025

Previously unknown organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach have been presented and performed in Germany for the first time in 320 years after researcher Peter Wollny spent three decades confirming their authenticity following their discovery in 1992 at the Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels. The two pieces, Chaconne in

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 HappyNews.