Chippewa Lake Ohio Becomes First Lake In The United States To Be Treated For Harmful Algae Using New Disruptive Technology

CHIPPEWA LAKE, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueGreen Water Technologies, Ltd. ("BlueGreen"), an Israeli based cleantech company, has announced today the successful clean-up treatment against harmful algal blooms detected in Chippewa Lake, using its proprietary U.S. EPA approved and NSF/ANSI-60 certified product, Lake Guardtm Blue. A short and simple application resulted in the collapse of the toxic cyanobacteria species that contaminated Chippewa Lake and in the restoration of its ecological balance.

Tests were conducted in the lake before, during, and after the treatment in order to ensure that Chippewa Lake's algal problem is fully addressed. This is the first full-scale deployment of BlueGreen's EPA approved product in the United States. The product is also in commercial use in Israel, China and South Africa.

Harmful algae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can be found in almost all bodies of water. Their toxins have been known to cause poisoning in animals and humans and severely disrupt the ecosystem. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already declared harmful algae bloom as "a major environmental problem in all 50 states. They can have severe impact on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy." EPA also warns that "algal blooms can be toxic. Keep people and pets away from water that is green, scummy or smells bad." The World Health Organization (WHO) also publishes clear warning instructions in its water related disease chapter: "People are mainly exposed to cyanobacterial toxins by drinking or bathing in contaminated water. Surface scums, where they occur, represent a specific hazard to human health because of their particularly high toxin contact. Contact, especially by children, should be avoided. Humans are affected with a range of symptoms including skin irritation, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pain, blisters of the mouth and liver damage. Swimmers in water containing cyanobacterial toxins may suffer allergic reactions, such as asthma, eye irritation, rashes, and blisters around the mouth and nose. Animals, birds, and fish can also be poisoned by high levels of toxin-producing cyanobacteria."

"Water is the essence of life and a basic human right," said Eyal Harel, CEO of BGWT. "Our technology empowers communities all over the world to reclaim their water resources and prevent harmful algal blooms by taking action swiftly and economically."

"Our greatest joy is to make Chippewa Lake clean again while enabling folks who live around water bodies reconnect to their natural water assets," said Dr. Moshe Harel, CTO of BlueGreen. "Our products are designed to float and slow-release the active ingredient enabling surgical precision. They have been tested in thousands of commercial applications and are suitable to any drinking water resource."

A time lapse video of the clean-up along with additional images can be viewed here, https://youtu.be/IP0RWWVV4lo.

"It's exciting to meet such a committed community determined to regain control over the algal bloom," said Dr. Waleed Nasser, Director of Operations of the U.S. market. "Medina County Park District officials, Nathan D. Eppink, Director, and Jim Spetz, Manager of Natural Resources, along with the devoted members of Save the Lake Coalition showed judicious decision making and demonstrated a proactive approach in implementing our technology. They were gracious hosts.  Local communities are the best guardians of their lakes, and, for the first time, we are enabling them to control this epidemic with BlueGreen's simple and smart solution."   

"Chippewa Lake is the largest natural inland lake in Ohio," said Nathan D. Eppink, director of Medina County Park.  "For the past four years, harmful algal blooms have negatively impacted the ability of visitors to enjoy the water. We're optimistic that with the help of BlueGreen Water Technologies and our community partners in the Save the Lake Coalition, we can make Chippewa Lake a safe, healthy natural resource."

About BlueGreen Water Technologies, Ltd.
BlueGreen Water Technologies, Ltd. ("BlueGreen") is a privately-owned cleantech company based in Tel Aviv, Israel, dedicated to developing novel solutions to water-related problems. BlueGreen's portfolio currently consists of two commercially-available products, Lake Guardtm Bluetm and Lake Guardtm Oxy which are designed to prevent the occurrence of cyanobacterial toxic blooms, commonly known as "blue green algae." BlueGreen is further developing new cost-effective formulations to provide additional enhanced protection for water problems. For more information, please visit www.bgtechs.com, and connect with the company on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE BlueGreen Water Technologies, Ltd.