Bay County Department of Water and Sewer Dedicates New Ultraviolet Disinfection System at Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant
Bay City, MI — October 7, 2025 — Bay County officials will host a dedication ceremony for the newly installed Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection System at the Bay County Wastewater Treatment Plant on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 10:00 AM. The event will take place at the plant, located at 3933 Patterson Road.
The West Bay County Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has served the region since 1980, provides wastewater treatment for approximately 36,000 residents across nine MidMichigan communities. The plant processes an average of 6.3 million gallons per day, with an annual flow of 2.3 billion gallons.
The new UV disinfection system, which went online on December 11, 2024, replaces the plant’s previous chlorine gas-based system. Planning for the transition began in 2021, and the project was completed in September 2025.
“UV installation was driven by two factors, safety and cost. The previous chlorine gas system required storage of up to eight one-ton chlorine cylinders. An accidental leak could have been devastating to our employees and our community. In addition to being a safety risk, the price of chlorine gas has increased by 400% since 2019. UV is now the more cost-effective long-term disinfection method. This decision just made sense,” said Ryan Goebel, Director of the Bay County Department of Water and Sewer.
Unlike chlorine, UV disinfection poses virtually no safety or environmental risks. “The system works by passing treated wastewater over UV lights, which inactivate harmful pathogens without the use of dangerous chemicals,” said Ryan Goebel.
The UV equipment was installed entirely by DWS employees, utilizing retrofitted chlorine contact chambers. The system has a maximum capacity of 32 million gallons per day, and the total project cost was approximately $2 million.
Bay County invites the public and media to attend the dedication ceremony and learn more about this important investment in public health and environmental protection.