New Equipment at Reservoir Reduces Issues Related to Algae Growth

Motorists along Richmond Road in Lexington may have noticed some new objects in the reservoir at Lake Ellerslie Fishing Club recently. The seven black units aren’t debris floating to the surface of the lake. Rather, they are a $275,000 investment in sophisticated, solar-powered, sonic buoys that will help address a periodic problem associated with using reservoirs for drinking water supply: algae.

Algae in the reservoir that connects Jacobson Park and the fishing club through a culvert under Richmond Road appears especially during hot, dry periods of weather. It can, for many palates, give drinking water a “musty” or “earthy” taste, even though it remains safe to consume. In the past, this issue has been addressed by treating the reservoir with copper sulfate, but the new buoys offer a different solution.

The buoys, which have been used in other parts of the world with success — including for the first time in North America at a fellow American Water utility in Short Hills, N.J. — use solar energy to transmit ultrasonic waves continuously that disrupt algal cells, causing them to sink and preventing them from multiplying. The result is a reduced amount of algae in the reservoir, a significant reduction in the use of copper sulfate (perhaps completely someday), and a reduction in taste and odor issues for customers. The buoys have no impact to fish in the reservoir.

“We’re continually looking for ways to enhance service to our customers, reduce our environmental footprint and gain efficiencies in our processes,” said David Shehee, superintendent of water quality and environmental compliance for Kentucky American Water. “We’re fortunate to have the Kentucky River and the Jacobson Reservoir as sources of water supply, but each has its pros and cons. Selecting how much water to draw from each source on a daily basis is a careful balancing act, factoring in the ‘raw’ condition of the water, the amount of chemicals needed to treat each source, the amount of energy required to pump it to the treatment plant and other variables. We believe the new sonic units will help remove a negative factor that sometimes affects whether or not we pull more water from the reservoir. This solution is environmentally friendly and provides us greater flexibility in our decision making, ultimately translating not only into better tasting drinking water, but also greater operational efficiency, and that’s good news all around.”

Kentucky American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately half a million people. The company was recognized as a Best Place to Work in Kentucky in 2014 and 2015. Kentucky American Water was also the first utility in the state to join KY EXCEL (Kentucky Excellence in Environmental Leadership Program), a voluntary program coordinated through the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection. For more information, visit www.kentuckyamwater.com .

Founded in 1886, American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs 6,400 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.