The City of Morden has budgeted for an algae sonic treatment system to reduce the number of algae in Lake Minnewasta. Deputy Manager of Operations Santokh Randawa explained blue rock is not environmentally friendly and the city is looking for a new way to lower the algae growth that occurs late in July and all of August. 

"This year we are trying to implement ultrasonic algae control through LG Sonic and this equipment falls under Pest Management Regulation and it's not approved in Canada as of now for use on natural water bodies. So, we are trying to receive a research authorization from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and install it on an experimental basis." 

Randawa has invested time in learning about this new process.  

"I heard about it 3-4 years ago, initially when I was working at another location, and we tried to get some information from the municipalities who installed it. We heard about this Algae Sonic through the Internet and then we reached out to them.  I attended a few webinars. Where those officials from those those municipalities were recommending it, and they have even reported efficiencies in the water treatment because of this treatment." 

Annually, Lake Minnewasta sees a decline in tourism once the algae in the lake is in peak growth.  Randawa added there are a couple other good reasons to use the Ultra Sonic technology. 

"Blue green algae is a health concern as well. It can cause issues, rashes if ingested, it can make you sick. Those are the reasons it can cause heavy algae blooms; it can even cause the fish to die, or aquatic life to die as well. It's a problem for our water treatment plant as well. We need to use more and more chemicals to get rid of it, and it gives an odor and taste to the water as well." 

Randawa said this technology seems environmentally safe from the studies he has researched.  

"They have 2 tanks, where in one of the tanks they installed this equipment and then there was another tank that was just normal. They studied the fresh growth in both of those. They were interconnected as well, so that if fish were in distress, due to this equipment in one of the tanks, then they would try to move to another one, but they did not see any of that movement. If all those studies are correct, that means that it does not have any impact on the fish."  

Randawa is hopeful to be approved by the end of May or June of this year to have the 5-6 stations in the water by July.  He is working closely with LG Sonic to put the application in to Pest Management Control Agency by the end of April. 

For more information on LG Sonic click here.