Red and green are a few of the popular festive colors for this time of year, and the predominant colors of our “bug” of the month - algae! In recent years, microalgae have been identified as beneficial microorganisms to wastewater treatment systems. These single-cell algae species reduce chemical and biochemical oxygen demands, while also removing coliform bacteria, nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metals from wastewater.
Unfortunately, certain drawbacks have limited the use of this technology and further research is needed to see its application to a full-scale system. Perhaps we will see more of this emerging technology in the holiday seasons to come!
To learn more about the City's wastewater treatment process, visit our Wastewater page.