Water treatment company allows Upstate lake to reopen after bacteria concerns
The treatment for a lake in the Upstate has now become the blueprint for how to prevent dangerous bacteria from affecting other lakes and waterways across the state.
Lake Whelchel in Gaffney, South Carolina, is one of many lakes across the country affected by harmful algae blooms called cyanobacteria.
Experts believe because of global warming and pollution these bacteria have become more common. This can be harmful to people and pets and is especially worse in warmer temperatures.
"When you do see green water. That is already a catastrophe. This is already pretty bad," CSO of Bluegreen Water Technologies, Eyal Harel said.
Harel and his team have been working to solve this issue at Lake Whelchel and other lakes around the world.
Through their research, they put the lake on a treatment plan to help kill this bacteria from within.
"What’s happening in the water within a very short period of time you see these toxic communities collapse and in turn, nontoxic beneficial communities take the ecological niche and serve their natural role as buffers against future toxic cyanobacterial resurgence," Harel said.
With Lake Whelchel officially reopening, community members and officials are excited to host events again just like Friday's Fourth of July festival.
"It's helped the community and a lot of people didn't know about this lake really because it hadn't been improved as much as it has. It's a beautiful place now and the facility is great," resident Mike Sprouse said.
"The fact it being open again and it being able not to have those hazardous concerns or anything else going on with it, is a big plus for Cherokee county," director of the Cherokee county chamber of commerce, Frannie Stockwell said.
Harel believes with county officials keeping up their treatment plan he doesn’t see Lake Whelchel will have this problem again.
"This is where it really touches people's lives, health, and livelihood in the most basic way. We’re very proud to do it," Harel said.
Harel added they already have begun steps to bring their treatment plan to other affected lakes across South Carolina.