CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- A Cape Coral company is testing out a product that may eliminate algae in Southwest Florida waterways.
After receiving state approval, Ecological Laboratories Incorporated tested out the quality of the water on Tuesday. The company is using a type of bacteria to kill the algae. It's called aerobic anaerobic photosynthetic.
They say it's completely natural and not harmful to the water. The bacteria targets what the algae needs to grow and survive, which is nutrients.
This is something that has never been done before in state open water.
A team of scientists and experts placed a barrier across the Cabot Canal last week.
It’s located in Cape Coral near Veterans Memorial Parkway.
The turbidity barrier stretches from top to bottom, separating the water that will be treated.
The state is giving the company up to 180 days to test out the product. Ecological Laboratories Inc. is funding their own trial run.
The company is applying the product for the second time Wednesday morning. They applied it for the first time last week.
They will continue to do this every three to five days. Then, they will apply it monthly.
Mettauer Environmental is assisting in the trial run.
The company placed signs along the canal warning neighbors that the water is being treated. Each household already received a letter notifying them of the test trial.
If it works, they say the water should look completely different in just a few weeks.
Scientists say the lab results aren't fully completed yet but that the water is in really bad condition.
