Underwater Spark Plug Reduces Zebra Mussel Control Costs

STONEY CREEK, ON, June 21 /CNW-PRN/ - A new pulsed-power plasma sparker
effectively controls zebra mussel infestation of water intake pipelines at
much lower cost than conventional control systems, which depend on chemicals.

Savings of 75% on operating costs and 25% on capital costs are typical,''
said Philip Lowry, President of Sparktec Environmental Inc., developer and
supplier of the plasma sparker.

Operating on standard 120/240 volt service, Sparktec's equipment works like
an underwater spark plug, sending a pressure pulse down the inside of the
pipeline. The pulsing environment is hostile to zebra mussels at every stage
of their life cycle, greatly reducing their numbers.

A typical installation delivers a pulse every 30 to 45 seconds. Discharge
time is adjusted to suit the length and diameter of the pipeline.

Five years of testing in the U.S. and Canada, including studies conducted by
the Army Corps of Engineers, Ontario Hydro and the University of Guelph, have
shown that the system does not damage pipelines, concrete structures or
affect electronic equipment.

Sparktec systems are now in use at five locations in the U.S. and Canada. One
early user (from 1995) is the Vergennes Panton Water District, Vergennes,
Vermont which pumps about 650,000 gallons of water daily from Lake Champlain
to several municipalities. ``While this is unquestionably revolutionary
technology, we have found its performance very satisfactory,'' said Mike
Sullivan, the District's manager.

Zebra mussel infestation is a multi-million dollar headache for municipal and
industrial water pipelines in North America. Left untreated, the mussels
rapidly colonize and plug pipelines. The mussels arrived in the Great Lakes
from Europe in the late 1980s, now range from Lake Superior to New Orleans,
and are projected to eventually infest lakes, rivers, and reservoirs
throughout North America.

Sparktec holds U.S., Canadian and European patents for the process and
technology (patents are pending in China, Poland and Russia).

SOURCE  Sparktec Environmental Inc.

CO:  Sparktec Environmental Inc.

ST:  Ontario

IN:  ENV

SU:

06/21/99 08:01 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com