Cyanobacteria control will be discussed at California-Nevada water meeting

Controlling cyanobacteria in drinking water is on the agenda of an upcoming meeting of California and Nevada water management professionals.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Water industry experts from two western states will meet in California’s Palm Desert this month. The California-Nevada section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) will hold its Annual Fall Conference at the Westin Hills Resort, Oct. 22–25. Removing toxins released into drinking water by harmful cyanobacteria blooms will be a key topic of discussion.

Almost 200 cyanobacteria blooms were reported in California drinking water sources and recreational water bodies in 2017. Recent data shows 176 reported blooms this year. Many of these incidents affect drinking water destined for homes and businesses.

The increasing number and severity of cyanobacteria blooms pose a challenge for water treatment plants. Algaecides that could be used to kill cyanobacteria cells often cause them to split open and spill their toxins into the water. This is called cell lysis.

“No one wants to cause sudden cell lysis,” said Dr. David Hammond, Senior Scientist at Earth Science Laboratories. “That’s why plant operators hear over and over to avoid certain treatment options. Fortunately, we have a solution that disrupts cyanobacteria cells gradually instead of causing catastrophic ruptures. This allows beneficial bacteria known as degraders to keep pace.”

ESL will send a team to the CA-NV AWWA Fall Conference to discuss cyanobacteria treatment and its Cyanobacteria Rapid Response Program. The company offers its services to water treatment plants at no risk and no initial cost. The team will provide further details at the upcoming conference.

More information on the CA-NV AWWA Fall Conference can be found at
http://ca-nv-awwa.org/canv/CNS/EventsandClasses/conf/AFc18/Home.aspx

Earth Science Laboratories Inc. creates advanced water treatment products. The Arkansas-based company manufactures products that control aquatic pests, cyanobacteria, zebra mussels and quagga mussels. More information is available at earthsciencelabs.com.