Solar Bees Help Water Treatment in NJ

Four "Solar Bees" have landed in New Jersey American Water's Canoe Brook reservoir in Short Hills helping to make the treatment process smoother when water conditions change. The Bees are essentially solar panels mounted atop large portable mixers that agitate the water in the 1.5 billion gallon reservoir to combat natural and weather-related circumstances that could impact water treatment.

Last summer, New Jersey American Water experienced an increased growth of algae at its Canoe Brook Reservoir during long periods of hot, dry weather. The algae presented challenges for the company's water quality team until an altered treatment process was developed with permission from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The addition of the Solar Bees is expected to alleviate similar problems in the future by preventing the water from becoming stagnant.

"The challenges we faced this summer should, for the most part, be a thing of the past now that New Jersey American Water has implemented this new technology," said Anthony Matarazzo, New Jersey American Water's senior director of water quality and environmental compliance. "The Solar Bees constantly circulate and improve the quality the reservoir water that is then treated and delivered to customers' homes."

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