The completion of a $9.4 million sewage plant project is being celebrated in South Haven.

The South Haven Area Water and Sewer Authority hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday for the project to upgrade the aeration system, replace the digester boiler, and install a new ultraviolet disinfection system. That replaces the previous chlorine gas system.

In 2023, the authority received funding through Michigan’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The work was paid for with a $5.8 million low-interest loan and a $3.6 million grant.

Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering with its sister company, F&V Construction, served as the project’s designer and builder, and city officials took tours of the facility Tuesday to see what’s been done.

South Haven Area Water and Sewer Authority Plant Superintendent Jeremy Hiatt says the project “represents a major step forward in our commitment to environmental stewardship and operational excellence.” He says with the work now done, the plant’s life has been extended, its efficiency improved, and it’s now less reliant on chemicals for treatment.