AUGUSTA, Maine — Augusta's Togus Pond is getting a chemical treatment of aluminum sulfate to prevent the growth of algae.
“This has been the combination of a lot of work over probably a decade,” Greg Jolda, president of the Worromontogus Lake Association, said.
The lake association is funding and leading the effort aimed at stopping potentially harmful algae blooms from turning the water green, once again.
Philip Doyon who lives on the pond said, "It's like pea soup."
The treatment is spread across the pond by a barge. It prevents the spread of algae by binding with its food source: phosphorus.
“When the [treatment] gets in the water, these little crystals are in the water and then they float down to the [lake's] bottom," lake association board member Sarah Fagg, said. "It creates a flocculant that holds the phosphorus to the bottom of the lake."
The strategy has been used in Maine since 1978 and has had success preventing algae blooms, according to the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.
The treatment is expected to be finished by the weekend. The lake association says it hopes to do a second round of treatment within the next three years.