Bulgarian utility protects water supply from algal bloom

Running the largest water utility in Bulgaria, Sofiyska Voda invests in a digital monitoring project to secure and modernize its water supply network.
Aug. 19, 2021
2 min read

Sofiyska Voda provides drinking water to approximately 1.4 million people living in Sofia. The Iskar Reservoir is the largest reservoir in Bulgaria and an important source of drinking water and hydroelectricity. It’s also a popular weekend destination for Sofia and the surrounding area.

At the end of July, the utility started a digital monitoring project to secure and modernize its water supply network, making Sofiyska Voda the first water utility in the Balkans to invest in sustainable and digital water resource management.

The Iskar reservoir is vulnerable to different types of pollution, including harmful algae blooms. The water company installed LG Sonic’s autonomous ultrasound buoy to increase the security of its drinking water supply.

If polluting algae occurs, the buoy will emit ultrasonic waves into the water to stop their growth. This technology was chosen for its real-time monitoring feature and its early warning system that could be integrated within the patented Veolia Hubgrade digital control product.

The buoy’s system has integrated alarming functions when it detects changes in water quality. The specialized software automatically creates a forecast based on the data it receives.

LG Sonic’s buoy has been successfully deployed and is already transmitting real-time information to an online software named the MPC-View. A few hours after installation, the first data on turbidity, pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, phycocyanin, and chlorophyll were displayed.

SOURCE: LG Sonic

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