Westlake Golf Club – South Africa

Westlake Golf Club, South Africa – March 2017. 

The golf course’s 2,600,000 gallon irrigation pond receives 475,000 gallons water daily from the local sewage treatment plant causing several problems: 

• Unpleasant odors
• Grey murky water
• Extremely high level of bacteria

The presence of Fecal Coli-forms in the irrigation reservoir is an indicator that water has been contaminated by pathogens, disease-producing bacteria, or viruses, which can cause a potential health risk for humans, animals, and plants exposed to this water.

Pathogenic bacteria are anaerobes and require organic matter, carbon dioxide, phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia, or sulfur to survive. Aerators on the market today and those currently deployed at Westlake Golf Club are inefficient and expensive and cannot distribute dissolved oxygen quickly and evenly throughout the entire pond.

Dissolved oxygen is key, as it oxidizes anaerobic pathogens, reduces carbon dioxide in the water, and encourages the growth of beneficial aerobic microorganisms.

Based on the assessment of the site and water analysis data, our team of experts recommended 60 days of treatment of the pond with MK1 Ultra Fine Bubble Generator to the Golf Club management.

The treatment objectives were:

• Increase dissolve oxygen level
• Remove the unpleasant odor asap
• Restore the water clarity
• Reduce the harmful bacteria
• Restore the natural balance of the pond

Day 1

• Fecal Coli-forms: >2000 cfu
  E. Coli: >2000 cfuCOD: 94 mg/L

Day 60

• Faecal Coliforms: < 5 cfu
• E. Coli: < 5 cfu
• COD: 25 mg/L
• Visibility in water > 4 m Bottom covered with air bubbles.

Due to the high level of dissolved oxygen and the presence of nanobubbles in the irrigation water, the course soils became increasingly aerobic and the following observations were made:

• Germination of rye-grass after 3 days
• First cutting of grass after 7 days
• Golf Green renovation completed in 7 weeks vs traditional 14 weeks
• Extremely robust and thick turf consistency
• No yellow spots or root rot observed
• No fertilizers used