Mount Gambier City Council will activate ultrasonic wave technology to remove harmful blue and green algae in the city’s valley. Dangerous blue and green algae have been found in the Valley Lake following water testing. The ultrasonic waves that control algae levels will not impact any other aquatic life.
This follows months of testing in the lake, a popular spot for waterskiing and recreational boating activities.
Two floats were installed on the Valley Lake in January, one monitoring the water quality and the other emitting ultrasonic waves.
The council has worked with a water-testing company to collect physical samples and measure water quality at different depths.
The testing results have found the presence of harmful blue and green algae and cyanobacteria.
Council environmental sustainability officer Aaron Izzard said algae would be controlled through ultrasonic technology.
Ultrasonic wave technology to make water safer
“[The float] sends out an ultrasonic signal through the water, which only targets algae and bacteria,
“[It] disrupts the components within those organisms that allow them to float. So they sink to the bottom and die.”
Testing of the ultrasonic waves was conducted during the cooler months.
The council is now waiting to see how effective the technology is during summer. That is the time of year when the algae are more prevalent. Council will consider using it long-term.
The ultrasonic float will be activated in September and will run until autumn.
Algae can trigger illness
Izzard says it is important to control algae levels.
“There are lots of different species of algae, and most of them are benign, but there are some that can harm people,” he said.
“Certain species of algae can make people sick — not super sick but a bit nauseous.
“We want the lake to be able to be used for aquatic recreation. Ideally, you want to manage those harmful algae and bacteria that are there.”
The technology targets algae and will not harm other aquatic life, Izzard said.
“It has been tested and hasn’t been found to be harmful to any other aquatic organisms. Ultrasonic wave technology only targets bacteria and algae,” he said.
“It doesn’t affect any kind of insects, animals or fish.”
Boating unlikely to be affected by ultrasonic wave technology
The floats are clearly marked. Izzard says they are unlikely to affect recreational users of the Valley Lake during summer.
“We’ve tried to make them quite visible. They’re not very big in the grand scheme of the lake,” he said.
“People can still jet ski or boat and do loops around the lake. There’s still plenty of room to utilise the lake for aquatic sports.”
Izzard said ultrasonic wave technology was a cost-effective way to control algae levels.
“If you look at the annual cost, it’s not a big investment. That is particularly the case if we’re enabling the lake to be used in the greater capacity for aquatic sports,” he said.
“We went to tender for this project, and there were all sorts of proposals. Some were more costly, but this one’s cost-effective.”
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