Water company news

Abstract

Company news B lue-green algae are particularly undesirable because many species contain toxins that can be extremely harmful (even fatal) to aquatic organisms, as well as humans, pets, and livestock, if ingested. Although the waters may appear green, there is very little food for microscopic animals to feed on because blue-green algae are essentially inedible. As a result, dead blue-green algae either remain floating on the water’s surface creating that smelly pond scum, or, sink to the bottom where microbial decomposition depletes bottom waters of dissolved oxygen promoting fish kills. There are basically three lake management approaches for dealing with blue-green algae. The first approach is to kill them with copper-based algaecides. This approach, however, is losing favour worldwide because the benefits are temporary. The second approach is to starve them. This approach emphasises restricting nitrogen and phosphorus availability via watershed management and/or nutrient removal or inactivation.

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