March 13, 2015 -- American Water, the nation's largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, and LG Sonic, a Dutch manufacturer of algae control systems, recently received a Business Achievement Award for the installation of four solar-powered algae control buoys -- MPC-Buoys -- in a drinking water reservoir at the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant located in the unincorporated community of Short Hills, N.J.
Blue-green algae can present major challenges such as health issues, fish deaths and odor problems when blooming in lakes and water reservoirs. In order to provide an environmentally friendly solution to these problems, LG Sonic developed the MPC-Buoy, a floating solar-powered platform that emits specific ultrasonic parameters to target the algae present.
In 2014, American Water installed four buoys in a drinking water reservoir at the Canoe Brook facility, where extensive testing was conducted. The research revealed that the buoys had a significant impact on the algae, allowing the treatment plant to reduce chemical consumption by more than 20 percent and minimize the concentration of compounds that can cause undesirable tastes and odors.
The MPC-Buoy is a solar-powered system that combines continuous online water quality monitoring, web-based software and ultrasonic technology to effectively control harmful algal blooms in large water surfaces, such as lakes and drinking water reservoirs. At this moment, the MPC-Buoy is installed in lakes and water reservoirs in, among other countries, the U.S., Canada, the UK, Malaysia, and Poland.
See also:
"Seek & Destroy: Algal Blooms"
"Ultrasound technology in water treatment: Suppressing algal growth and biofilm formation"
About American Water
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in more than 45 states and parts of Canada. For more information, visit www.amwater.com.
About LG Sonic
Since 1999, LG Sonic has been an international manufacturer of algae control systems. The company's products provide an environmentally friendly solution to effectively control algae in lakes, reservoirs, treatment plants, and other applications. Over the last decade, more than 10,000 LG Sonic products have been successfully installed in 52 different countries. For more information, visit www.lgsonic.com.
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