Two months after the installation of 11 LG Sonic MPC-Buoy units in Lake Qaraoun, Lebanon, results are looking promising, with a 50% algae reduction in the northern part of the lake where the systems are installed. MPC-Buoy is a chemical-free solution to monitor and control algal blooms by using ultrasound technology. LG Sonic is working together with World Waternet and the Litani River Authority to install phase two of the project, which involves the installation of 11 additional units in remaining parts of the lake to optimize the water quality of the entire lake.
Lake Qaraoun is the major drinking water source for 1.3 million citizens living in the region of the Bekaa and the South. The lake has been heavily polluted by municipal waste and wastewater, resulting in high levels of blue-green algae in the lake, which release harmful toxins and damage aquatic life. LG Sonic is now constantly monitoring the water quality of the lake and controlling algal growth with ultrasonic sound waves in the Northern part of the lake. Water quality sensors send data every 30 minutes data to an online server, which uses this data to make predictions about algal growth in the lake and develop specific ultrasonic programs. Ultrasound pushes the algae to the bottom of the lake, where they die and eventually decompose.
“We have already seen very positive results of our treatment with around 50% reduction in the Northern part of the lake.“
– Lisa Brand, CTO of LG Sonic
Estimated blue-green algae concentration of Lake Qaraoun, Lebanon. The left image shows the concentration before the treatment. The right image shows the reduced blue-green algae concentration after the treatment started.
Treating the entire lake
After successful results with the 11 MPC-Buoy units in the Northern part of Lake Qaraoun, LG Sonic is working with World Waternet and the Litani River Authority to install 11 additional units to improve the water quality and control algae in the entire lake. Phase two of the project will bring the total number of ultrasonic units to 22. As mentioned by LG Sonic’s CTO, Lisa Brand, it is important to finish this installation before the algae begins to grow, preferably by spring 2019. If the units are installed by then, algae levels can be reduced by up to 80% in the entire lake next year.
