New UV Disinfection System Operating At Treatment Plant

The city of Bourbon has brought its more than $1 million UV disinfection system at the wastewater treatment plant online, completing a project years in the making and satisfying regulators with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The project was designed and administered by Bartlett & West. The city obtained funding through the Delta Regional Authority, American Rescue Plan (ARPA) and increased sewer rates to finance the project.

UV disinfection has been installed in many wastewater treatment plants throughout the state. 

It treats water with ultraviolet lamps instead of chemical-based disinfection, such as chlorine. The chemical composition of the water is unchanged with UV disinfection.

Kyle Landwehr, an engineer with Bartlett & West, demonstrated on Wednesday the disinfection system for reporters, Mayor Dave Lafferty and Ward 2 Alderwoman Sonya Sewald.

Landwehr noted that the UV disinfectant must only be used during the spring and summer when people might be using swimming pools.

Landwehr showed how wastewater enters into the treatment plant. 

The water enters into an oxidation ditch, where its churned and sent into clarifiers. The solids are settled out in the clarifier and sent to the digesters. The remains must be hauled off in a sludge tank and its used for crops.

A new box was placed as part of the project to maintain the flow from the clarifier. 

When using the UV disinfection, a gate is opened, sending the water to the reactor unit. 

Landwehr said that not all states mandate UV disinfection, such as neighboring Illinois.