The Saginaw Waterworks has been operating since September 29, 1929 and is one of the largest drinking water plants in the state with a maximum treatment capacity of 52 million gallons per day(MGD).

---

NEW WATER PLANT: County Commission Meets Tuesday on $72 Million Bond Issue

Historic Partnership Finally Achieved After 65 Years of Trying

June 15, 2013
By: Dave Rogers

(NOTE: The Bay County Commission approved the bond issue 5-0 on Tuesday, June 18, 2013.)

An improved water source through the Saginaw-Midland system drawing from Lake Huron at AuGres is on the county commission agenda Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.

Commissioners will consider a $72 million bond issue to finance a new water plant on Euclid Avenue and two miles of 30 inch pipe to hook up to the S-M line from Whitestone Point that travels underground through Bay County.

County Commission Chair Ernie Krygier has called the special meeting to begin the financing process for the long-awaited water system improvements.

The historic linkage has been seven decades in the making as Saginaw and Midland combined in 1948 to draw water from about 70 miles north and pipe it through Arenac and Bay Counties to those communities.

Several attempts to join the S-M system previously went to naught, including one in 1971 that was defeated by a few hundred votes.

Some early Bay City efforts were rejected by Saginaw and Midland, but finally a few years ago the late Mike Studders, Tom Paige and others began talks with officials of the two neighboring cities.

No vote of the public is necessary unless 15,000 residents sign petitions for a referendum, according to county officials.

No tax will be levied since costs are covered through water rates.

Bay County will be a customer of the S-M system, not a full partner as previously been proposed.

Water rates to customers are expected to rise 5-15 percent when the new plant and water supply begins operations for about 38,000 customers in 2015.

Estimates of $25 million in costs to renovate the old plant, built in 1979, caused officials to decide on a new plant.

The new plant will have capacity to process 17.4 million gallons per day serving Bay City, Bangor, Hampton, Monitor, Portsmouth, Frankenlust and other townships.

The Bay County Road Commission will open bids for the Bay Area Water Treatment Plant and Raw Water Transmission Mains with bid openings at 10 a.m. on July 10.

The county expects the bonds to be sold through the Michigan Finance Authority's Drinking Water Revolving Fund or its Local Government Loan Program.