A small water agency that pumps water from Clear Lake expects to declare a water shortage emergency as early as this week, not because it’s running out of water but because thick algae growth is putting a strain on its purification system.
“The lake is worse than normal. Our treatment plant is having difficulty treating” the turbid, more alkaline water the algae causes, said Frank Costner, manager of the Konocti County Water District, which serves about 1,750 households at the south end of Clearlake. It’s one of three water agencies serving the city of about 15,000. The others have not reported problems, likely because they’re located where algae is less of a problem, Costner said.
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20140706/articles/140709750