City of Saginaw, Michigan

The laboratory operates seven days a week from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. The laboratory is staffed by a Chemist and two Lab Technicians.

There are a variety of analyses done by the laboratory personnel on a daily basis to monitor water quality. EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes & Energy) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require analyses be done on the Influent and Effluent water for the following parameters: Suspended Solids, CBOD5 (5 day Carbonaceous Biochemical Oxygen Demand), Dissolved Oxygen, Fecal Coliform, Phosphorus, pH (hydrogen ion) and Ammonia Nitrogen. All of these tests are done to ensure the plant meets the discharge parameter limits set by the EGLE and EPA in its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit.

Other analyses are done in addition to what is required. Monitoring of Industrial Pollutants is also important. Testing is performed on a bi-weekly basis to detect contaminants such as cadmium, chromium, copper, cyanide, iron, lead, mercury, nickel, silver, zinc, phenol, oils, greases and poly-chlorinated bi-phenyls (PCB's).

Major Daily Tests

Test NPDES Permit Level
2022 Avg. Discharge Level
Suspended Solid 30 mg/L Monthly Avg 14 mg/L
CBOD 25 mg/L Monthly Avg 7 mg/L
D.O. 3.0 Minimum 3.9
Fecal Coliform 200 colonies Monthly Avg. 78 colonies Monthly Avg.
Phosphorus 0.92 mg/L Monthly Avg. 0.4 mg/L rolling Avg.
pH 6.5 - 9.0 SU 6.9 Min/7.5 Max
Ammonia 5.0 mg/L 1.7 mg/L Average

Wastewater Microbiology