American Water Fights Algae With First Ultrasonic Buoy

American Water has launched the first-ever project deploying ultrasonic technology to fight algae growth in North American reservoirs.

The effort came out of a partnership with LG Sonic, which manufactures an ultrasonic algae control buoy called the MPC-Buoy. This device blasts algal cells with ultrasonic waves, which causes them to sink and halts additional growth.

In a test last year, one plant was able to lower chemical consumption by over 20 percent upon deploying the buoy, according to American Water. The technology has been tested in Europe by the EU-funded researchers who developed it.

"Monitoring showed a difference in algae levels between a lake with the installed MPC-Buoys and several similar other lakes in the surrounding area. For example, the level of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) cells in the Kórnickie Lake was nine times higher compared to the lake in which the MPC-Buoys were installed," according to a European Commission (EC) announcement, which cited LG Sonic.

Locals also noticed that water clarity had visibly improved, according to the same announcement.

The buoys are entirely solar-powered and safe for the environment, according to LG Sonic. "The ultrasound used by LG Sonic is safe for fish, plants, zooplankton, and insects. Our devices make use of low power (5-20 Watts); therefore, no high voltages are transmitted into the water," the company says.

The devices installed by American Water aim to complete several tasks for the utility. "This new system combines continuous online water quality monitoring, web-based software and ultrasound technology to better prevent taste and odor events from occurring," the company said in an announcement.

Buoys were recently placed at plants on the East Coast. "Four of these buoys were recently installed in Reservoir No. 1 at the Canoe Brook Water Treatment Plant in Short Hills, New Jersey, which is operated by American Water's New Jersey subsidiary, New Jersey American Water," the Joplin Globe reported.