Wastewater

About Us

6.9 million gallons of clean water discharged per day (2.5 billion gallons per year)
9 tons of removed solids land-filled per day (3240 tons per year)
Total of 17 employees (24/7 operations - the plant can never be shut down for repairs)
- Superintendent & Administrative Assistant
- Operations Manager & 4 Shift Supervisors & 2 Treatment Plant Worker
- Lab / IPP Manager & 2 Laboratory Technicians
- Maintenance Supervisor & Lead Mechanic & 3 Maintenance Technicians
- 12 State Wastewater Certified Operators
Five Retention Basins
Basins = 27.3 Million Gallons
Relief Sewers = 9.7 Million Gallons
Total Capacity = 37 Million Gallons

The Treatment Process : How We Clean Your Water

1. Raking & Screening
2. Raw Water Pumps
3. Grit Removal
4. Primary Clarification
5. Biological Treatment
6. Chemical Treatment
7. Final Clarification
8. Activated Carbon (Advanced Treatment)
9. Disinfection (Pathogen Removal)
10. Solids Handling & Disposal

Partnering to Determine COVID Community Risk Through Wastewater Sampling and Testing

“The secret to predicting viral outbreaks like COVID-19 might be in our sewers” (https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2020/wastewater-may-help-predict-the-next-covid-19-outbreak/). An ongoing study by Michigan State University and Saginaw State University is working to determine if community viral outbreaks can be identified and forecasted through wastewater sampling. For the past 2 months the Bay City Wastewater treatment plant has been providing raw wastewater samples to Saginaw State University to participate in this COVID-19 study. The main objective is to use new technology to predict how many cases of the virus are present within the community. Using individual testing may not give the most accurate picture of overall community health due to the sporadic nature of who gets those COVID-19 tests. Using wastewater to predict a community’s COVID-19 loading may provide a more accurate picture for our local health department and local leaders to provide guidance to reduce COVID-19 risk, it could also indicate if COVID-19 has been regionally eradicated. Having a great partnership with Saginaw State University’s Chemistry Department and its Saginaw Bay Environmental Science Institute has been truly rewarding, and we hope our community can benefit from participating in such a critical and timely study.