With the destructive invasive species having spread to Lake Belton, conservation officials and water-supply agencies are very concerned that zebra mussels could expand their range throughout the state, including Lake Travis and the other Highland Lakes. Zebra mussels can clog public-water intake pipes, harm boats and motors left in infested waters by covering boat hulls, block water-cooling systems, annoy lake property owners by completely covering anything left under water, and make water recreation hazardous because of their sharp edges. The rapidly reproducing mussels, originally from Eurasia, can have a serious economic, environmental and recreational impact on Texas reservoirs. Austin Water treatment plants also have enhanced protocols to evaluate taste and odor of drinking water before it leaves the plant on a more frequent basis.įor more information and a video about Austin Water’s Zebra Mussels mitigation efforts, click here.The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has approved a new regulation requiring that all boats operating on public fresh water anywhere in Texas be drained before leaving or approaching a lake or river to help combat the further spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species. In addition to these systems, Austin Water also conducts routine cleaning and removal of Zebra Mussel shells on screens and other infrastructure uses divers to inspect and pressure wash underwater infrastructure and uses rovers with cameras to inspect pipelines and underwater infrastructure not readily accessible by divers. Their presence also can affect taste and odor of drinking water.Ĭonstruction is scheduled to begin on the Copper Ion Generator Systems in the next few months and is estimated to be completed by Winter 2023. The invasive species attaches to surfaces such as grates, screens, pipes and valves, interferes with water treatment operations and increases the amount of energy required to pump water through the process. Austin Water worked quickly to put chemical feed systems in place at its plants in 20 to deter the infestation of Zebra Mussels in water pipelines. Zebra Mussels were first detected in Lake Travis in 2017 and have since infested Lake Travis and Lake Austin, which are the source of Austin’s drinking water. “This enhancement will improve the resiliency of our infrastructure, so that the treatment process continues to be reliable and effective in producing water of the highest quality for our customers.” “The Copper Ion Generator systems will provide a sustainable, long-term approach for fighting off the effects of this invasive species in our drinking water systems,” said Robert Goode, Interim Director, Austin Water. The treatment process then removes the copper ions before the finished drinking water is sent to customers. The newly constructed systems will replace Copper Sulfate feed systems that are in place.Īdding copper ions to the raw water at the beginning of the process will deter Zebra Mussels from entering and affecting the water treatment plant infrastructure. The Copper Ion Generator systems will use electricity and copper electrodes to release copper ions into raw water pipelines, which will eliminate the need to deliver, handle, and store large amounts of copper sulfate chemicals onsite. (AUSTIN) - The Austin City Council approved a construction contract today to build new systems to deter the invasion of Zebra Mussels at all three water treatment plants.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |