02-03-2022, 09:09 PM
There are a couple of other considerations. First, not all algae is created equal. Almost all of Utah's ponds develop some algae during the warmer months each year. But much of it is the ugly but harmless plain old green goo. The bad stuff is the blue green algae that produces cyanotoxin. The nasty stuff seems to occur mainly where there is an overabundance of excess nutrients...like nitrogen and phosphorus. And those particular nutrients are generally the result of sewage inflows...even if treated.
Only a few of the sewage treatment facilities around Utah Lake have upgrades that allow them to remove a high percentage of these nutrients. Since upgrading is time consuming and costly, it is not likely to see the other plants making any changes in the near future.
As far as Mantua is concerned, there are relatively small amounts of excess nutrients being dumped in that small lake. So the potential for large toxic algae outbreaks is much less.
I am attaching another PDF file that points out the problem in Utah Lake.
Only a few of the sewage treatment facilities around Utah Lake have upgrades that allow them to remove a high percentage of these nutrients. Since upgrading is time consuming and costly, it is not likely to see the other plants making any changes in the near future.
As far as Mantua is concerned, there are relatively small amounts of excess nutrients being dumped in that small lake. So the potential for large toxic algae outbreaks is much less.
I am attaching another PDF file that points out the problem in Utah Lake.