Field evidence
Field trials and documented applications
This section will emphasize studies for which we can establish enough about the waterbody, organism, equipment, coverage and treatment period to make the result interpretable. Manufacturer involvement will be disclosed where relevant.
PEER-REVIEWED FIELD STUDY • JOURNAL AWWA • NEW JERSEY • 2014 FIELD SEASON
Ultrasonic treatment in Canoe Brook Reservoir
Setting: Drinking-water reservoir in Short Hills, New Jersey. Four ultrasonic buoys operated for five months during spring and summer 2014.
What was evaluated: Algae and cyanobacteria response to a field-scale ultrasonic system.
Reported result: The authors reported that algae control depended on using the appropriate ultrasonic program and concluded that the system was effective under the tested conditions.
Source relationship: The published paper was authored by American Water/New Jersey American Water personnel. The commercial ultrasonic equipment used in the project is identified in associated project documentation.
Why we include it: Unlike many laboratory sonication experiments, this was a multi-month deployment in an operating drinking-water reservoir.
Original Journal AWWA publication
CONTROLLED FIELD / MESOCOSM STUDY • FLORIDA • 2022 • MANUFACTURER-DOCUMENTED
Port Mayaca cyanobacteria study
Setting: Side-by-side treatment and placebo mesocosms near Lake Okeechobee at Port Mayaca, Florida, observed from August 3 to September 6, 2022.
What was evaluated: Cyanobacteria concentrations and non-target plankton during ultrasonic exposure.
Manufacturer-reported result: The manufacturer reports a 65.6% reduction in blue-green algae in the treated mesocosm while the placebo increased 34.3%, with no negative effect detected on phytoplankton or zooplankton during the study.
Source relationship: This summary is currently based on SonicPure's case-study presentation, which states that the work was conducted in collaboration with the University of Florida Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. Until a primary publication or complete study report is available, we treat the numerical results as manufacturer-reported.
Why we include it: The placebo comparison and monitoring of non-target organisms make this more informative than a before-and-after testimonial, while the source relationship remains important context.
Source case report
MUNICIPAL FIELD CASE • ONTARIO • 2021 • MANUFACTURER-DOCUMENTED
Essex wastewater lagoon
Setting: A municipal wastewater lagoon cell in Essex, Ontario.
Reported result: Manufacturer documentation reports cyanobacterial counts declining from 14.1 million cells/mL to 3.16 million cells/mL over roughly one month. It also reports that provincial sampling found no visible bloom at discharge and microcystin testing did not indicate toxin release associated with cell lysis.
Important context: This is a documented operational case rather than a randomized controlled trial. The source is commercial and its conclusions should be interpreted accordingly.
Why we include it: The case provides measured cell-count data and toxin testing rather than relying solely on photographs or user impressions.
Source case report
MUNICIPAL FIELD CASE • CALIFORNIA • 2018–2024 • MANUFACTURER-DOCUMENTED
Vallecitos Water District reservoirs
Setting: Two California reservoirs used for irrigation and recreation. One site was reported to have substantial phosphorus loading from reclaimed water.
Reported result: Manufacturer documentation reports elimination of copper-sulfate use, substantial operating-cost savings and low/stable chlorophyll-a measurements in later monitoring.
Important context: This is a long-running operational case with manufacturer-supplied interpretation rather than a controlled experiment. The nutrient-loading history is particularly relevant when considering long-term algae management.
Why we include it: Multi-year operating experience can answer different questions than short laboratory experiments, particularly around maintenance, recurring nutrient pressure and chemical use.
Source case report
UTILITY FIELD CASE • UNITED KINGDOM • MULTI-MEASURE PROJECT • MANUFACTURER-DOCUMENTED
Alton Water Reservoir
Setting: Large drinking-water reservoir and treatment works operated by Anglian Water.
System context: Thirteen ultrasonic floating systems were installed as part of a broader package that also included catchment and treatment-works measures.
Reported observation: The utility began observing reduced algal blooms and improved resilience at the treatment works.
Important limitation: Because multiple measures were implemented, the observed improvement cannot simply be attributed to ultrasound alone. The source itself noted that results represented only one season and required continued monitoring.
Why we include it: It is a good example of why treatment context matters. Real water-management projects often change more than one variable at a time.
Source case report
Why this section will grow carefullySome field reports omit the ultrasonic system used. Others provide little information about effective coverage, algae identification or nutrient conditions. Rather than filling gaps with assumptions, we will explicitly identify missing information and limit our conclusions accordingly.