The Challenge
The standard across Canada is to build stormwater ponds in new residential developments. Typically, the largest and most expensive houses in a new development back onto these stormwater ponds. However, the ponds were built to have a purpose – to collect runoff during rain events.
With years of runoff, a stormwater pond will typically have severe algae and odour issues that are quite unpleasant for residents who live near the pond or people who walk/visit around the pond.
The City of Lethbridge (Alberta) is not different from any other city in Canada since it has some ponds that get out of control during warm summers, which can cause residents to complain.
Even though the stormwater ponds are man-made, they are an epicenter for birds and wildlife. Therefore, the city was looking for a natural, non-toxic method of improving the overall conditions of each pond’s ecosystem.
The Solution
AAG has a very good reputation with the Lethbridge due to the successful treatments of Henderson Lake over the last few years. Henderson is a much larger body of water than any of the stormwater ponds in Lethbridge that needed treatment.
AAG suggested monthly treatments using 100% natural PondPerfect ComboPacks to treat a number of stormwater ponds. Each stormwater pond required a different number of ComboPacks, depending on the size and severity of problems with the pond.
Every year, treatment starts at the beginning of May and runs through the end of September. This is an optimal program that was discussed with city managers beforehand to fit their budgets.
The AAG team would apply ComboPacks to all of the ponds at the beginning of each month. Each pond responded at different periods during the treatment, but results were incredible for every pond treated.
Ponds that were cleared up in one summer did not need treatment in the following year. Instead, AAG could treat a different pond that had similar issues.
