Vallecitos Water District provides 5.25 million gallons of recycled water for irrigation every day. To fulfill the demands of modern irrigation systems, it is important to maintain low TSS levels. This is a challenge during the warm months in California, as algae that occur with raising temperatures, increase the level of TSS and clog the filters that are meant to remove TSS before the distribution of water to the irrigation systems.
Vallecitos Water District is known for its’ sustainable and innovative focus when it comes to water and wastewater treatment. Introducing LG Sonic technology in their Meadowlark Water Reclamation Facility was the logical next step for this award-winning facility in California. The MPC-Buoy technology is installed in an open water reservoir where the treated reclaimed water is stored to be later used for irrigation. The ultrasound encounters algae in nutrient-rich reclaimed water, specifically phosphorus, in an area with intense sunlight and little rain, which are the perfect conditions for algal blooms.
Improved TSS, pH and DO levels
Despite the perfect conditions for algae growth, LG Sonic technology has reduced the overall levels of algae in the reservoir since the installation. Not only improving the TSS, but also pH and Dissolved Oxygen levels. This ensures that the Vallecitos Water District can provide even higher quality water to their reclaimed water customers. Vallecitos Water District and LG Sonic have been working closely together to monitor the water quality for optimum as it has been a new step for both parties. Later this year further cooperation is planned for another reservoir.
Solution to long-term algae problems
By using different sources of data and combining those in a unique algorithm, LG Sonic can forecast algal blooms 3 to 10 days in advance. This allows for effective mitigation strategies through the MPC-Buoy systems. The algorithm can be fed by different data sources, such as hydrological characteristics of the water body and meteorological data sources. The hydrological data consists of streams of data generated by in-situ water quality measurement and remote sensing satellite imagery. LG Sonic has developed specific low power ultrasonic transmitters that are not harmful to humans, fish, plants, and other aquatic life. Active in over 96 countries around the world, LG Sonic provides sustainable solutions to recover water bodies of top-level water utilities, power plants, recreational lakes, among others.
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