Solar Bees are buzzing around New Jersey American Waters’ Canoe Brook Reservoir in Short Hills, N.J. Serving as innovative solutions to the problem of stagnation, four Solar Bees—solar powered circulation and treatment modules—were deployed this fall to keep the water in the reservoir circulating.

Stagnant water allows naturally occurring algae to proliferate, which causes issues with odor and uptake. Because Canoe Brook Reservoir was facing problems with stagnation, and subsequently algae, New Jersey American Water needed to find a way to keep the water moving. Solar Bees provided the perfect zero-energy solution.

“We pump water year round from the river into the reservoir and use it for water storage in the summer—and algae is a very common problem in water storage,” said Suzanne Chiazavi, vice president of engineering for New Jersey American Water. “The Solar Bees are used as mixers. Moving and mixing the water helps deter algae growth in the reservoir.”

Manufactured by Solar Bees, Inc., a world leader in improving reservoir water quality in a green and sustainable manner, the Solar Bees can be used in open reservoirs, lakes, in potable water, wastewater, industrial water, and estuaries. The Solar Bees, which measure 16 feet in diameter, run solely on solar power provided by three solar panels on the top of each Solar Bee and are entirely off-the-grid. As of 2010, 2,000 Solar Bees have been deployed worldwide to improve water circulation and quality.

“The Solar Bees look a little bit like the Lunar Lander,” said Chiazavi. “They are tethered in the reservoir and are about the size of a small pick-up truck.”

When Chiazavi and her co-workers at New Jersey American Water heard about the Solar Bee technology, they realized it was the perfect solution to their challenges with reservoir water circulation.

“The Solar Bee technology is relatively new and specialized,” she said. “They’re a great solution to our algae problem and require no additional energy. According to the manufacturer, the Solar Bees are maintenance free for at least five years.”

New Jersey American Water is the largest investor-owned utility in New Jersey and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water. The utility operates and maintains three reservoirs in New Jersey.

Pictured: a Solar Bee unit is lowered into a body of water. Image courtesy of ebco.com.au.