Mini solar-powered boats use ultrasound to kill bacteria in rural water systems - Entrepreneur Generations

Small yellow vessels topped with solar panels — akin to a toy boat in appearance — float on the surface of Lake Paradise’s reservoir in small-town Mattoon, Illinois. They are called Solarafts, reports Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder, and they are making waves — literally.

The rafts use solar-powered ultrasonic waves to kill cyanobacteria in water. On the surface, this bacterium is known as blue-green algae. If unchecked, it can produce a toxin deadly to humans: microcystin. Mattoon issued a “do not drink” order in July 2025 after toxins grew out of control when Solarafts were down. The toxin blooms from heat, slow-moving water, low turbidity or too many nutrients — say, from agricultural or wastewater sectors.

"'A harmful algal bloom is not algae,' said Amy Weckle, a program manager for the Illinois Water Resources Center (IWRC). The misnomer is confusing, she said, because algae is beneficial and feeds aquatic species, while cyanobacteria, one of the oldest organisms on earth, is the actual cause of what is referred to as harmful algal blooms.”

 
The rafts are produced by Hydro-Bioscience and use ultrasound to break open the membranes of bacteria and kill them in a way that Todd Austin, the company’s customer accounts manager, likens “to an opera singer breaking a glass — at a certain frequency of sound, the glass will break.” The company aims to support rural water districts by keeping their resources and limitations in mind.

 
Treating water with ultrasound is a modern upgrade from treating it with chemicals, like carbon. In 2025, Mattoon went from using 150 to 600 pounds of carbon a day. Solarafts reduce chemical use by about 50-60%, which lowers the cost of keeping drinking water sources clean.

from The Rural Blog https://ift.tt/LBlp3io Mini solar-powered boats use ultrasound to kill bacteria in rural water systems - Entrepreneur Generations

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