Suwon City's Swift Response Minimizes Algal Bloom at Gwanggyo Reservoir

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Suh Dong-young] Suwon City announced on the 28th that it is responding immediately according to the stages of algal bloom occurrence, including deploying algae removal agents to minimize algal bloom at Gwanggyo Reservoir.

Suwon City Water Works immediately entered Stage 1 response (from harmful cyanobacteria appearance to before algae warning system issuance) on the 18th-19th, as Microcystis, a harmful cyanobacterium, increased sharply.

From the 19th to 21st, algae removal agents were deployed to remove harmful cyanobacteria that had occurred in large quantities on the reservoir surface. Gwanggyo Reservoir is currently maintaining water quality conditions from before the algal bloom occurred.

The algae removal substance developed by an environmental specialist company is a registered product with the National Institute of Environmental Research. It is manufactured with safe components that have passed ecotoxicity testing. The Han River Basin Environmental Office under the Ministry of Environment approved the use of algae removal agents at Gwanggyo Reservoir on July 20.

When the 'algae warning system' is issued, Stage 2 response is implemented by spraying coagulants and flotation agents at major algae occurrence points in the reservoir to remove algae.

Water Works anticipates that algae will occur at Gwanggyo Reservoir in early September, and the algae warning system will be issued after the third week of September. The algae warning system is issued when harmful cyanobacteria levels are between 1,000-10,000 cell/mL.

Water Works plans to install an 'artificial intelligence automatic water quality purification device' (Ecobot) around the intake tower in September. The Ecobot is an artificial intelligence water quality purification device that autonomously moves through areas at risk of green algae occurrence while purifying water quality. It is an innovative product selected for a national fund support project through the Public Procurement Service and will be operated as a pilot project for algae removal.

An official from Suwon City Water Works stated, "Harmful cyanobacteria appears to occur due to eutrophication caused by nitrogen and phosphorus, high temperatures, and long water retention time in the reservoir (over 200 days on average)," adding "We will respond immediately when harmful cyanobacteria occurs to prevent its spread."